Beam and bolting construction system and method

Abstract

A beam and bolting construction method and an example dwelling ( 10 ) according to the method are provided. The method involves preliminary steps of selecting a site and determining a bolt array ( 19 ) and selection of dimensions and materials. Actual construction steps include forming a foundation slab ( 14 ) having vertical bolts ( 18 ) embedded therein in accordance with the bolt array ( 19 ). Alternating layers of beams (B), having aligned bolt bores ( 52 ) for receiving the bolts, are successively laid down over the bolts ( 18 ), with sides meeting at corners ( 29 ) with alternating sides encompassing the corner bolt. Once a desired height is achieved, washers ( 72 ) and nuts ( 78 ) are placed on the bolts and are tightened to desired pressure levels. The dwelling ( 10 ) is formed with beams ( 42 ) compressed together by threaded bolts ( 18 ) in a bolt array ( 19 ).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A beam and bolting structure comprising:
 a foundation slab;   a series of vertical bolt segments embedded in said foundation slab in a predetermined bolt array to extend vertically upward therefrom;   a multiplicity of beam segments with parallel top surfaces and bottom surfaces, each said beam segment having bolt bores extending between said top and bottom surfaces, said bolt bores positioned for fitting over respective ones of said vertical bolt segments; and   bolt couplings for extending multiple bolt segments as needed and tightening nuts for applying compression to the topmost of said respective beam segments,   wherein multiple ones of said beam segments are placed on top of one another over said respective vertical bolt segments to form a wall of a desired height.   
     
     
         2 . The bolt and beam structure of  claim 1 , wherein
 multiple ones of said walls form a structure with walls overlapping at wall corners;   a subset of said beam segments are designated as cross beams, while another subset of said beam segments are designated as transverse beams; and   ends of said cross beams and said transverse beams meet at said wall corners.   
     
     
         3 . The bolt and beam structure of  claim 1 , wherein
 a corresponding vertical bolt in said bolt array will pass through at least one of said beam segments at each one of said wall corners.   
     
     
         4 . The bolt and beam structure of  claim 2 , wherein
 at said wall corners a transverse beam segment will lie on top of a cross beam segment while in alternating layers a cross beam segment will lie on top of a transverse beam segment.   
     
     
         5 . The bolt and beam structure of  claim 2 , wherein
 in alternating layers in said walls cross beams will abut against said transverse beam in one layer while transverse beams will abut against said cross beams in the adjacent layer; and   said bolt array includes corner bolts which will pass through said alternating cross beams and transverse beams at each said corner so as to cause said alternating beam segments to be compressed together by said tightening nuts.   
     
     
         6 . The bolt and beam structure of  claim 1 , wherein an access gap is provide above each said tightening nut such that said tightening nut may be adjusted after construction. 
     
     
         7 . The bolt and beam structure of  claim 1 , wherein
 said beam segments are at least slightly vertically compressible and are formed of materials selected from the following group comprising;   natural wood, wood composites, other composites, and synthetic materials.   
     
     
         8 . A method and protocol for constructing a bolt and beam wall structure, comprising:
 i) preparatory steps, which may be performed simultaneously or in any order, including
 (a) selecting a site; 
 (b) designing a specific predetermined bolt array system for supporting and aligning the walls in the proposed structure; 
 (c) selecting materials and dimensions; and 
   ii) construction steps to be performed generally in order, including
 (a) preparing a foundation frame about a foundation cavity; 
 (b) mounting a plurality of top brackets and bottom brackets, each having an alignment slot, on said foundation frame to form an alignment system corresponding to said predetermined bolt array; 
 (c) placing and securing a bolt segment in said alignment slot of each corresponding pair of said top and bottom brackets such that each said bolt segment extends vertically upward and is aligned with a particular bolt anchor location in said bolt array; 
 (d) pouring said foundation slab into said foundation cavity so as to fix in place each of said bolt segments, and smoothing and leveling the upper surface of said foundation slab; 
 (e) placing a series of layers of beam segments, each said beam segment having a top surface parallel to a bottom surface, serially upward upon said bolt segments, extending said bolt segments as needed by inserting bolt couplings and additional bolt segments, until a desired height of a said wall structure is achieved; and 
 (f) tightening each said nut of said bolt segments on the uppermost beam segment so as to compress adjoining beam segments in said series together. 
   
     
     
         9 . The method and protocol for constructing a bolt and beam wall structure of  claim 8 , and further including:
 as part of step ii) (e) constructing multiple ones of said wall segments including cross wall segments and transverse wall segments at least some of which intersect at least one respective corner, and   at least one corner bolt in said bolt array will extend through a beam segment in each layer wherein   in alternating layers at each said corner, a cross wall segment will extend to said respective a corner and a transverse wall segment will abut against it, while on vertically adjacent layers a transverse wall segment will extend to a respective corner and a corresponding cross wall segment with abut against it.   
     
     
         10 . The method and protocol for constructing a bolt and beam wall structure of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the said wall segment which extends to said corner in each layer further extends beyond said corner.   
     
     
         11 . The method and protocol for constructing a bolt and beam wall structure of  claim 9 , wherein:
 at each said corner in each said layer the ends of each said beam segment mate against each other at said corner; and   a corresponding one of two said corner bolts respectively extends through the end portion of each abutting beam segment.   
     
     
         12 . The method and protocol for constructing a bolt and beam wall structure of  claim 9 , wherein:
 at least a portion of said bolt array denies an exterior boundary of a horizontally enclosed structure including multiple corners.   
     
     
         13 . A dwelling in the form of a generally rectangular cabin structure, comprising
 a flat level foundation slab;   a predefined bolt array including a plurality of vertically aligned threaded bolts embedded and secured in said foundation slab, said bolt array defining an exterior frame having a plurality of corners and an enclosed interior;   a plurality of beam segments, each said beam segment having a flat top surface and a parallel flat bottom surface adapted to abut flushly against a top and a bottom surface of any vertically adjacent ones of said beam segments, each said beam segment further including spaced-apart bolt bores extending vertically therethrough, said bolt bores corresponding to the spacing of said vertical bolts in said bolt array; and   securing nuts for mating with said vertical bolts and washers for said securing nuts; wherein   said beam segments are vertically stacked in layers with corresponding ones of said vertical bolts extending through corresponding bolt bores in each said beam to form a vertical wall until a desired wall height is achieved; and   said washers having a horizontal extend exceeding the diameters of said respective bolt bores such that when said securing nuts are tightened said washers apply pressure to force said layers together.   
     
     
         14 . The dwelling according to  claim 13 , wherein
 said beam layers include alternating off layers and even layers;   said beams include beams identified as cross beams and transverse beams;   at each said corner said bolt array includes a one of said vertical bolts designated as a corner bolt;   at corners of each even layer said cross beam extends such that said corner bolt extends through said cross beam while said transverse beam abuts flush against said cross beam; and   at corners of each even layer said transverse beam extends such that said corner bolt extends through said transverse beam while said cross beam abuts flush against said transverse beam.   
     
     
         15 . The dwelling according to  claim 13  and further comprising:
 a roof extending at least over all of said enclosed interior; wherein 
 an access gap is provided at the top of each said wall over each said securing nut such that each said securing nut may accessed from said interior after construction to adjust the pressure applied by said securing nut. 
 
     
     
         16 . The dwelling of  claim 13  wherein
 access to said interior is provided by utilizing truncated beams in selected locations and layers in said walls as necessary to facilitate openings for doors, windows and the like.