Prefabricated reinforced concrete panel curtain-wall system

Abstract

A prefabricated curtain-wall system comprises an assembly of reinforced concrete panels. The reinforcement of the concrete is provided by a grid of horizontal and vertical metal rods, tied together where they cross. Connection between two adjacent panels utilizes an external bracket with two bolts, each bolt mating with a nut protruding from a slotted bracket embedded in each of two adjacent panels The embedded brackets have eyelets for passage of a rod of the reinforcing grid. The lowermost panels of the system are anchored to the building foundation, thus the load of the entire curtain wall system and the embedded reinforcing grid can be transmitted to the foundation. The system incorporates means of adjusting the fitting together of panels to compensate for minor deviations in the dimensions and elevations of construction elements.

1 . A prefabricated curtain-wall system for cladding a building skeleton framework mounted on a concrete foundation, said curtain-wall system comprising an assembly of rectangular, adjacent concrete panels, each panel comprising
 an outer face, an inner face, opposing side edges, a top edge, a bottom edge and an inner body;   an embedded grid of horizontal and vertical reinforcing rods, tied together;   a plurality of connecting hardware components, comprised of embedded female members mating with external male members, the male members extending between two adjacent panels, thereby coupling panels (a) in side-by-side relationship, and (b) in stacked configuration with the lowest level panels attached to said foundation, wherein said bottom horizontal edge of an upper-level panel is contiguous to said top horizontal edge of a lower-level panel, wherein each embedded female member is proximal to a side edge, and wherein all couplings and matings are adjustable;   means for connecting said grid to said connecting hardware components;   adjustable mounting means for attaching the lowest level panels to said foundation.   paired male and female components for connecting each said panel in adjustable spaced apart relationship to said framework, each said female component embedded in a panel and each male component mounted on said framework;   
     
     
         2 . The curtain-wall system according to  claim 1 , wherein each embedded female member comprises a bracket fitted with: (a) a female connector extending outward from, and (b) tabs having orifices extending into, said inner body, from said inner face, said orifices being passages for said reinforcing rods; and wherein each external male member comprises a bracket fitted with a male connector mating with a female connector of an adjacent panel 
     
     
         3 . The curtain-wall system according to  claim 2 , wherein each said bracket has a slot in which one said connector is movably mounted, whereby two degrees of freedom are provided to achieve optimum alignment of adjoining panels 
     
     
         4 . The curtain-wall system according to  claim 3  wherein a bracket for a female connector has an horizontal slot and the male connector mating therewith is mounted in a vertical slot; alternatively, the bracket for a female connector has a vertical slot and the male connector mating therewith is mounted in an horizontal slot. 
     
     
         5 . The curtain-wall system according to  claim 4  wherein said mounting means to the foundation comprises external slotted angle brackets, each with a vertical arm and an horizontal arm, the vertical arm coupled to an embedded female member proximal to the bottom edge of a lowermost panel and the horizontal arm affixed to the foundation with a threaded concrete anchor bolt. 
     
     
         6 . The curtain-wall system according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 a similar panel for coupling to an adjacent panel at an angle less than 180° to form a vertical corner, wherein said external male member is comprised of an angle bracket, and said embedded female member is spaced from one said side edge so as to permit the inner face of the similar panel to overlap the adjacent side edge of the adjacent panel. 
 
     
     
         7 . The curtain-wall system according to  claim 6  wherein external hardware components extend from the inner faces of said panels, so that said outer faces of the assembly of panels present a smooth, continuous exterior curtain-wall surface over the building skeleton. 
     
     
         8 . A prefabricated curtain-wall system for cladding a building skeleton framework mounted on a concrete foundation, said curtain-wall system comprising an assembly of rectangular, adjacent concrete panels, each panel comprising
 an outer face, an inner face, opposing side edges, a top edge, a bottom edge and an inner body;   an embedded grid of horizontal and vertical reinforcing rods;   a plurality of connecting hardware components, comprised of embedded female members mating with external male members, the male members extending between two adjacent panels, thereby coupling panels (a) in side-by-side relationship, and (b) in stacked configuration whereby said bottom horizontal edge of an upper-level panel is contiguous to said top horizontal edge of a lower-level panel, stacked upon a lowest level panel, wherein said embedded female members are proximal to a side edge;   mounting means comprising external slotted angle brackets, each with a vertical arm and an horizontal arm, the vertical arm coupled to an embedded female member proximal to the bottom edge of a lowest level panel, and the horizontal arm is affixed to the foundation with a threaded concrete anchor bolt;   each embedded female member comprises a bracket fitted with (a) a female connector extending outward from, and (b) tabs having orifices extending into, said inner body, said orifices being passages for the reinforcing rods of the grid, and wherein each external male member comprises a bracket fitted with male connectors mating with a female connectors of adjacent panels, said embedded female members being proximal to an edge of each panel;   each said bracket having a slot in which one said connector is movably mounted, a bracket for a female connector having an horizontal slot and the male connector mating therewith mounted in a vertical slot; alternatively, the bracket for a female connector has a vertical slot and the male connector mating therewith is mounted in an horizontal slot; whereby two degrees of freedom are provided to achieve optimum alignment of adjoining panels;   a similar panel for coupling to an adjacent panel at an angle less than 180° to form a vertical corner, wherein said external male member is comprised of an angle bracket, and said embedded female member is spaced from one said side edge so as to permit the inner face of the similar panel to overlap the adjacent side edge of the adjacent panel;   paired male and female components for connecting each said panel in adjustable spaced apart relationship to said framework, each female component being embedded in a panel and each male component projecting from said framework; and   wherein the exposed external hardware components extend from the inner faces of said panels, so that said outer faces of the assembly of panels presents a smooth, continuous exterior curtain-wall surface over the building skeleton.