Building element, method for producing the same and method of making a wall construction

Abstract

A polygonal building element has an insulating means and a frame structure extending along the circumference of the insulating means and having a number of elongate sections that are essentially U-shaped in cross section. The insulating means is made of lightweight material (e.g. cellular plastic) and is self-supporting, and the U-sections are arranged in such manner on the peripheral edge portion of the insulating means that the flanges of each U-section grasp the edge portion of the insulating means.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:  
     
         1 . A polygonal building element comprising: 
 an insulating means having two opposite large faces, a circumference and a peripheral edge portion with an edge surface, and    a frame structure extending along a major part of or the whole circumference of said insulating means and comprising a number of elongate sections that are essentially U-shaped in cross section, each U-section having flanges and a web,    wherein said insulating means is made of lightweight material and is self-supporting, and    wherein said U-sections are arranged in such manner on said peripheral edge portion of said insulating means that said flanges of each U-section grasp said edge portion of said insulating means and are located on an outside of said two large faces thereof, while said web of said U-section is caused to abut against said edge surface of said insulating means.    
     
     
         2 . The building element of  claim 1 , wherein said U-sections are interconnected at their ends.  
     
     
         3 . The building element of  claim 2 , wherein said U-sections are interconnected at their ends in a number of connection points.  
     
     
         4 . The building element of  claim 3 , wherein said U-sections are interconnected in said connection points by means of screw or rivet joints.  
     
     
         5 . The building element of  claim 3 , wherein said flanges of said U-sections are arranged so as to overlap in said connection points.  
     
     
         6 . The building element of  claim 1 , wherein said webs of said U-sections are provided with slots.  
     
     
         7 . The building element of  claim 1 , wherein said U-sections are identical in cross section.  
     
     
         8 . The building element of  claim 1 , wherein a transverse distance between said flanges of said U-sections corresponds to a thickness of said insulating means in said peripheral edge portion.  
     
     
         9 . The building element of  claim 1 , wherein said U-sections have means for connecting adjacent building elements with each other.  
     
     
         10 . The building element of  claim 1 , wherein two opposite U-sections are displaced along respective peripheral portions in such manner that each form a protruding portion.  
     
     
         11 . The building element of  claim 1 , wherein said U-sections are made of sheet metal.  
     
     
         12 . The building element of  claim 1 , wherein said insulating means is made of cellular plastic.  
     
     
         13 . The building element of  claim 1 , wherein said insulating means consists of a parallelepiped block made of lightweight material.  
     
     
         14 . The building element of  claim 1 , wherein said insulating means comprises a plurality of blocks made of lightweight material, which are assembled so as to form a unit constituting said insulating means.  
     
     
         15 . The building element of  claim 1 , which has the shape of a rectangular wall element with four U-sections, which are identical in pairs.  
     
     
         16 . A building element comprising: 
 an insulating means having two opposite large faces, a circumference and a peripheral edge portion with an edge surface, and    a frame structure extending along a major part of or the whole circumference of said insulating means and comprising a number of elongate sections that are essentially U-shaped in cross section, each U-section having flanges and a web,    wherein said insulating means is made of lightweight material and is self-supporting,    wherein said U-sections are arranged in such manner on said peripheral edge portion of said insulating means that said flanges of each U-section grasp said edge portion of said insulating means and are located on an outside of said two large faces thereof, while said web of said U-section is caused to abut against said edge surface of said insulating means, and    wherein said U-sections are identical in cross section.    
     
     
         17 . A wall construction comprising a number of juxtaposed building elements according to any one of the preceding claims.  
     
     
         18 . A method for producing a polygonal building element, wherein a number of U-sections are arranged along a major part of or the whole peripheral portion of a self-supporting insulating means made of lightweight material, a frame structure for the insulating means being formed of the U-sections, said U-sections being arranged in such manner that flanges of each U-section are caused to grasp said edge portion of said insulating means so that said flanges are located on an outside of said large faces thereof, while webs of the U-sections are caused to abut against said edge surface of the insulating means.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said U-sections are interconnected at their ends.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said U-sections are interconnected at their ends in a number of connection points.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said flanges of said U-sections are arranged to overlap in the connection points.  
     
     
         22 . A method of making a wall construction, wherein a number of building elements according to any one of claims  1 - 15  are arranged side by side on a base and interconnected by means of transverse sections, which are connected with said building elements.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said building elements are connected with each other with the aid of mutually engaging connecting means on the sides of said building element.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said building elements are arranged in a runner, which is U-shaped in cross section and anchored in a base.