Structural member and system

• US 4,007,574 A
• Filed: 09/22/1975
• Issued: 02/15/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Riddell C. Randolph
• Original Assignee: Riddell C. Randolph
• Inventors: Riddell, C. Randolph
• Primary Examiner(s): Faw, Jr., Price C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Farber, Robert C.
• Application Number:
  US05/615,162
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 52/722, 52/726, 52/720, 52/648, 52/251, 52/259, 52/434, 52/587, 52/583, 52/648, 52/220, 52/168, 52/731, 52/606
• US Class Current: 52/302.3
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 3/20 of concrete or other stone-like material, e.g. with reinforcements or tensioning members reinforcing elements E04C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 3/34 of concrete other stone-like material, with or without permanent form elements, with or without internal or external reinforcement, e.g. metal coverings E04C3/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/02 Ducting arrangements

Abstract

An elongated structural member of substantially triangular cross-section incorporating either one longitudinally extending continuous passageway of circular cross-section whose center is located at or near the center of the cross-section of the member or a cluster of passageways whose center is similarly located with a member so constructed employed to transmit forces in compression, tension, shear, bending, torsion and any combination thereof and the passageway employed as conduit for air, water, electrical wiring and the like and in the construction of buildings such members specifically designed to serve as beams, columns, or struts.

Claims

1. A structural system, comprising:

a plurality of elongated structural members having substantially triangular cross-sections along the longitudinally extending axis of the elongated members, and said structural members including means joining said members together to provide a support framework skeleton of vertical and horizontal structural components transmitting forces in compression, tension, shear, bending, torsion and any combination thereof;

said substantially triangular cross-sections providing each member with three outer faces;

each member having a substantially circular axial passage therethrough defining an inner surface of a substantially circular passageway extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the member and substantially at the centroidal axis of the member to reduce the weight of the member; and

non-supporting elements comprising electrical, plumbing, ventilation or sprinkler systems installed in said structural system for which said passageways serve as conduits.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the members are formed of concrete.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the concrete members have reinforcing elements including longitudinally extending rods positioned adjacent the intersection or apex of the faces of the members to provide strength in compression, tension, shear, bending, torsion and any combination thereof.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the reinforcing elements are prestressed as needed for load requirements.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein:

substantially triangular stirrups are connected to the rods to interconnect the rods and hold the rods in position and transmit transverse tensile forces.

3. A structural system, comprising:

a plurality of elongated structural members having substantially triangular cross-sections along the longitudinally extending axis of the elongated members, and said structural members including means joining said members together to provide a support framework skeleton of vertical and horizontal structural components transmitting forces in compression, tension, shear, bending, torsion and any combination thereof;

said substantially triangular cross-sections providing each member with three outer faces;

each member having a plurality of substantially circular axial passages therethrough with each passage defining an inner surface of a substantially circular passageway extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the member and located substantially about the centroidal axis of the member to reduce the weight of the member; and

non-supporting elements comprising electrical, plumbing, ventilation or sprinkler systems installed in said structural system for which said passageways serve as conduits.