Beams, columns, walls, and floors of armed wood

Abstract

In an assembly of structural elements such as beams, columns, walls and floors, one selects materials such as wood which is resistant to compression. Beams placed side by side, or one on top of the other are retained by a network of steel bands installed between and through the beams. Bands with an array of teeth on both sides or winches applying tension to the steel bands, counterbalance the tensile and shear forces created in the assembly through loading and they behave in the same way as steel rods in reinforced concrete. The strategic positioning of the network of bands in the apparatus serves in grouping and reinforcing the structural elements.

1 . An assembly of rectangular structural lengthwise superimposed elements, said elements subjected to stresses resulting in a deflection, the introduction of bands ( 142 ) between two of said structural elements causing a compression of said elements thus reducing deflection, said superimposed elements comprising lower rectangular beams ( 124 ′,  124 ″,  124 ′″) disposed under upper rectangular beams ( 126 ,  126 ′,  126 ″), said lower beams ( 124 ) being submitted to stresses causing a tension and resulting in said deflection, the introduction of said bands between said lower beams, said bands ( 142 ) comprising means for tension resulting in a compression of said lower beams thus reducing said deflection. 
   
   
       2 . The assembly of  claim 1  further comprising means for maintaining vertical said superimposed elements. 
   
   
       3 . The assembly of  claim 2  wherein said means for maintaining comprise a first part, comprising a winch ( 226 ) which applies a force, an intermediate part comprising means for the transmission of said force over a distance, and a third part comprising means for maintaining said force;
 said first part comprising a flat surface intended to position a support for the application of said force,   said winch ( 226 ) comprising means for rolling a flexible band ( 222 ) intended to transmit said force from said winch.   
   
   
       4 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein said superimposed elements are rectangular wooden beams, said means of tension comprising at least one winch ( 150 ) applying a tension in band ( 142 ). 
   
   
       5 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein said structural elements are part of a group of materials consisting of wood, plastic, concrete or any other material resistant to compression. 
   
   
       6 . The assembly of  claim 3  wherein said means of flexible band is a flexible band tightened to its limit, by means of said winch with a ratchet, said band crossing from a top beam ( 225 ), through all intermediate beams, through a passage ( 222 ) down through a lower beam in which said flexible band is wrapped around a steel pin welded on a steel disc which, under the influence of tension of said flexible band, compresses a spring against said steel disc and against said lower beam. 
   
   
       7 . The assembly of  claim 6  wherein said steel pin is welded on said steel disc and located in the margin of a last lower part ( 124 ′) and continues inside a compression spring located in a channel of spring larger than said channel of passage ( 222 ) of said flexible band. 
   
   
       8 . The assembly of  claim 7  wherein said spring compressed on a steel disc which is pressed on a corner at the junction between said narrow channel of flexible band and said wider channel of spring, said steel pin which is welded on the steel disc which under the influence of the tension of said flexible band compresses said compression spring against said steel disc and against said corner. 
   
   
       9 . The assembly of  claim 4  installed inside said beams. 
   
   
       10 . The assembly of  claim 4  comprising means of adhesion and sealing of said beams together. 
   
   
       11 . The assembly of  claim 10  wherein said means of sealing comprise a compressible joint of sealing applied on a support surface of said beams and a dry sealed joint applied at a junction of said beams, a top beam laid out on said joint and pressed against a lower beam thus sealing said joint. 
   
   
       12 . The assembly of  claim 11  wherein said surface of support is a sheet of compressible foam type, dipped on its ends into an elastomer resistant to humidity, and UV rays. 
   
   
       13 . The assembly of  claim 3  wherein a flexible band is installed on a wall, a floor, a group of beams and is intended to allow said wall, floor and group of beams to stay tightened during the period of drying, by the tension of said flexible band, a slot in a bolt engaging said flexible band in a rolled position, the bolt turning counterclockwise applying tension on said flexible band, a nut turning clockwise locking the bolt at its current position, the tension in the band applying a clockwise moment on the bolt. 
   
   
       14 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein said superimposed elements are elements of a column. 
   
   
       15 . The assembly of  claim 14  being an assembly of columns of a rectangular section of a long section ( 256 ) and a short section ( 254 ), said short section is predisposed to buckling, said long section comprising at least a near end, a far end and a middle part wherein the introduction of column bands ( 266 ) in a pair of slots ( 265 ) positioned between said near end and said middle part, and between said far end and said middle part, resisting bending forces in said short section. 
   
   
       16 . The assembly of  claim 15  wherein said bands ( 266 ) are oriented vertically. 
   
   
       17 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein said superimposed elements are aligned. 
   
   
       18 . The assembly of  claim 17  defining a slab ( 270 ) composed of aligned beams ( 272 ) having a breadth ( 274 ), a length ( 276 ), a height ( 278 ), a bottom of slab ( 280 ), a top of slab ( 282 ), a joint of assembly ( 286 ) and series of slots ( 284 ) located near the bottom ( 280 ) and used to place flexible bands ( 288 ) which are put in tension and which are comprising means of tension resulting in a compression of the fibres located in said bottom slab ( 280 ) and thus reducing said deflection. 
   
   
       19 . The assembly of  claim 11  wherein said sealed joint and said vertical joint are dry joints comprising a closed cells foam covered with elastomer intended to resist humidity and UV rays.