AU636801B2

AU636801B2 - A metal structural member

Info

Publication number: AU636801B2
Application number: AU86744/91A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Garry Michael Gavegan; Graham Stark
Original assignee: John Lysaght Australia Pty Ltd
Current assignee: John Lysaght Australia Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1990-10-24
Filing date: 1991-10-24
Publication date: 1993-05-06
Anticipated expiration: 2011-10-24
Also published as: AU8674491A

Description

L~C I 1 ,ft XWW All P/00/011I Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: "A METAL STRUCTURAL MEMBER" Invention Title: "A METAL STRUCTURAL MEMBER" ao 0000 o~ol 0000 o Q a aop 0 06 0 *1 ooo 00 *t 0 St.',

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The following statement is a full description of the invention, including the best method of performing it known to the applicant:- This invention relates to metal roofing structures of the kind comprising main load carrying members, for example rafters and/or the top and bottom chords of trusses, and a plurality of spaced apart battens extending transversely of the main members and supported thereby.

The battens may support tiles, cladding sheets or other roof covering elements sitting on top of the battens, or may support ceiling sheets or the like secured to the undersides of the battens.

The battens for roof covering elements must be positioned and spaced to suit the covering elements. This placement of the battens must be accurately done, especially when tiles or other small covering elements having formations intended to engage the battens and/or neighbouring elements are involved. When the main members are timber it is usual for the carpenter to hammer a marker nail into a few of the main members wherever they are to be crossed by a batten. The 0 battens may then be placed against the marker nails and then nailed to all of the main members supporting them. This is a relatively simple and quick process which may be carried ouit by one person. However when metal members are involved it is not so easy quickly to apply an abutment corresponding to the marker nail, and the usual practice is for one person to hold each batten in place while a second person secures it with appropriate fasteners.

A similar, although perhaps less acute, problem arises in the fixing of battens to the underside of the bottom chords of trusses or ceiling beams for the affixture of ceiling sheets.

The foregoing problems are perceived as a disadvantage of metal roof structures, and an object of the invention is to enhance the competitive position of metal structures relative to timber structures by overcoming that disadvantage.

The invention consists in a metal structural member, intended to support a plurality of battens, comprising an elongated web, at least one flange projecting from and extending along the web and a plurality of pairs of batten anchorage tongues punched from the web; each tongue comprising a root portion whereby it is joined to the web and a body spaced from the web, and the tongues of each pair being spaced apart and oppositely directed so that the body of each extends from its root portion towards the other.

In use, battens of the kind comprising co-planar oppositely directed edge flanges may be secured to the structural member by virtue of the batten edge flanges being respectively lodged in the spaces between the tongue bodies and the web. Thus, a structural member -r L _e according to the invention, when used as the top chord of a truss or a roof rafter, is disposed with its web uppermost, so that the battens may rest on the web and be held down by the anchorage tongues. Whereas an identical member, when used as the lower chord of a truss or ceiling beam, is inverted, so that the battens rest upon the anchorage tongues themselves.

The invention preferably takes advantage of the modern manufacturing practice, in respect of metal structural members, whereby each member is custom made and delivered to the building site in a finished state ready to be assembled into the structure being built. Very S, briefly stated, that practice comprises cold roll-forming a metal strip and °0 punching and cropping the roll-formed strip at predetermined positions along its length, as needed to produce the required member. As a part .105;,4 of that process the characteristic anchorage tongues of the invention may be punch formed at positions corresponding to the required batten positions, so as to eliminate all marking out and positional adjustment of and for the battens at the assembly site.

*4 By way of example, an embodiment of the above described invention is described in more detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a plan view of portion of a top chord of a truss and of a tile support batten mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of figure 1.

For clarity and convenience the drawings show a top chord 3 of a truss supporting a batten 4 as if the chord 3 were horizontal, whereas in 4 actuality it would be inclined in its longitudinal direction. Both components may be cold roll-formed from steel strip, which may be coated, for example, with zinc or an alloy of aluminium and zinc.

The chord 3 is an inverted rectangular channel comprising a web 5 and two downwardly projecting flanges 6, only one of which is seen in the drawings.

The batten 4 is a hat sectioned strip comprising a web 7, main flanges 8 and co-planar oppositely directed brim flanges 9. The edges 4 of the brim flanges 9 are returned to render them less sharp, so that the batten is safe to handle.

In accordance with the invention the web5 of the chord 3 is provided with pairs of batten anchorage tongues at predetermined *a4 positions along its length, there being one such pair at each batten location.

In the illustrated embodiment those tongues are rectangular tongues 10 punched from the web 5. Each tongue 10 comprises a body 11 spaced above the web 5 by an amount slightly in excess of the thickness of the returned edge of the brim flanges 9, and joined to the web by a root portion 12.

The batten 4 may be assembled to the chord 3 by a person inserting one of the brim flanges 9 under one of the tongues 11 and then squeezing against the edges of those brim flanges to spring the web 7 and flanges 8 sufficiently to enable the other brim flange to be~ irnserted under the other tongue.

I I In other embodiments of the invention, intended for less readily deformable battens, the structural members may be supplied ex factory with anchorage tongues which are directed upwardly from the web, or which can be readily bent upwardly from the web on site. In that event the battens may be positioned between the tongues of each pair and the bodies of the tongues may then be hammered down over the battens' brim flanges or their equivalent to secure the battens in place.

In still other embodiments of the invention the bodies of the anchorage tongues may be non-rectangular in shape. For example they may be rounded at the tip or they may taper to a relatively sharp point at their free ends. This last mentioned possibility is advantageous when the roof is to be sarked, in that the tongues may more readily tear through or pierce a sarking membrane pressed against them. This not only facilitates the emplacement of the battens after the tongues have been covered by the membrane, but also enables a membrane to be temporarily held in place, by a person pressing it down against at least S some of the tongues so that it is pierced thereby, prior to the installation So~ of the battens.

8' 1 C t Il

Claims

1. A metal structural member, for supporting a plurality of battens, comprising an elongated web, at least one flange projecting from and extending along the web and a plurality of pairs of batten anchorage tongues punched from the web; each tongue comprising a root portion whereby it is joined to the web and a body spaced from the web, and the tongues of each pair being spaced apart and oppositely directed so that the body of each extends from its root portion towards the other. 04,2. A metal structural member according to claim 1 wherein battens of the kind comprising oppositely directed edge flanges are able to be secured to the structural member by virtue of the batten edge flanges being respectively lodged in the spaces between the tongue bodies and the web.

3. A metal structural member according to any one of the 1 9C t preceding claims wherein the member is cold roll-formed from a metal 4 strip and said roll-formed strip is punched and cropped at predetermined positions along its length.

4. A metal structural member according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the anchorage tongues are rectangular tongues. A metal structural member according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the anchorage tongi~es are triangular tongues.

6. A metal structural member according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the body of each tongue is spaced above the 7 web by an amount slightly in excess of the thickness of the edge of a batten flange or its equivalent and is joined to the web by the tongue's root portion.

7. In combination, a metal structural member according to any one of the preceding claims, being the top chord of a truss or a roof rafter, disposed with its web uppermost and a plurality of battens resting on the web and held down by the anchorage tongues.

8. In combination, a metal structural member according to any one of the preceding claims, being the lower chord of a truss or ceiling t 4 t beam, disposed with its web lowermost and a plurality of battens resting t et upon and held by the anchorage tongues themselves. f t 1, 9. A metal structural member substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. A method of assembling a metal structure comprising metal structural members as defined in any one of claims 1 to 6 and metal battens of the kind comprising oppositely directed edge flanges, comprising the steps of inserting one of the batten edge flanges under one of the tongues of a tongue pair and then squeezing against the edges of the edge flanges to spring the batten sufficiently to enable the other edge flange to be inserted under the other tongue of the pair.

11. A method of assembling a metal structure comprising metal structural members as defined in any one of claims 1 to 6 and metal battens of the kind comprising oppositely directed edge flanges or their equivalent, wherein the structural members are supplied ex factory with anchorage tongues which are directed upwardly from the web, or which L I -I: 8 can be readily bent upwardly from the web on site, comprising the steps of positioning the battens between the tongues of each pair and then bending or hammering down the bodies of the tongues over the battens' edge flanges or their equivalent to secure the battens in place.

12. A method of assembling a metal structure as defined in claim 11 including the step of pressing a sarking membrane against at least some of the tongues so that it is pierced thereby, prior to the installation of the battens.

13. A method of assembling a metal structure substantially as herein before described and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Applicant JOHN LYSAGHT (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED Date 24 October 1991 Attorney ROBERT G. SHELSTON F.I.P.A.A. of CARTER SMITH BEADLE 6 f i ABSTRACT A channel-sectioned structural member may function as a rafter or as the top chord of a truss. It comprises a web and flanges Pairs of opposing tongues (10) are punched from the web and hat-sectioned tile battens comprising a web flanges and brim flanges are secured to the chord by virtue of the brim flanges being trapped between the web and the body portions (11) of the tongues. Figure 2 SI