GB2104123A

GB2104123A - Structural element

Info

Publication number: GB2104123A
Application number: GB08217742A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Trevor Harry Hough; William Ernest Miles
Original assignee: MILES BROTHERS
Current assignee: MILES BROTHERS
Priority date: 1981-06-27
Filing date: 1982-06-18
Publication date: 1983-03-02

Abstract

A box-section element comprises a pair of channel members (10, 11) having the same cross-sectional shape and inter-fitted one with the other. Each member has a wider wall (12) engaged with the external surface of a narrower wall (18) of the other member. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Channel member and use of channel members to produce a box section element This invention relates to a channel member, to an assembly of channel members and to a method of producing a box section element from two channel members. By a channel member, we mean herein a member having a generally channel-shaped cross-section which includes a pair of mutually opposed walls and a web joining the walls together, the walls projecting from respective opposite margins of the web. A channel member is usually elongated, the channel-shaped cross-section being transverse to the length of the member. One or each of the walls may have at its margin remote from the web an extension, for example a flange projecting towards the other wall or towards a flange on the other wall.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a channel member wherein the dimension of one wall measured at the outside of the member from the web to a margin of the one wall remote from the web is substantially equal to the dimension of the other wall measured at the inside of the member from the web to a margin of that other wall remote from the web.

Two identical channel members according to the first aspect of the invention can be fitted together with their webs in mutually opposed, spaced apart relation and said one wall of each member lying at the inside of said other wall of the other member. The two channel members thus form a box section element. Channel members according to the invention can also be used in other ways in which it is known to use channel members, for example with a single channel member forming a beam, two channel members arranged back-to-back to form a single beam and two channel members arranged with respective flanges abutting to form a single box section element.

A channel member in accordance with the first aspect of the invention preferably includes a pair of flanges extending towards each other, one from each wall at a margin thereof remote from the web. When two identical channel members of this preferred form are fitted together as aforesaid, the flange on said one wall of each member lies at the inside face of the web of the other member and the flange on said other wall of each member lies at the outside face of the web of the other member.

There is also provided according to the invention a method of producing a box section element wherein two channel section members having the same cross-section are assembled together with their respective webs in mutually opposed, spaced apart relation, one wall of one member being engaged with the inside face of a wall of the other member and the inside face of the other wall of the one member being engaged with the further wall of the other member.

An example of a box section element incorporating a plurality of channel members in accordance with the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a perspective view of a part of the element.

The box section element shown in the accompanying drawing includes a number of channel members, three of which are illustrated.

Of these three members, two, members 9 and 10, are arranged in mutually abutting end-to-end relation; whereas the member 11 overlaps with both of the members 9 and 10 and extends along a part of the length of each of those members to connect the members 9 and 10 together. In the example illustrated, the member 11 has a length somewhat less than the lengths of the members 9 and 10, these latter members being partly cut away.

In an alternative arrangement, each of the members 9, 10 and 11 has the same length and additional members are arranged in end-to-end abutting relation with the member 11 to overlap with those parts of the members 9 and 10 not overlapped with the member 11 so that the assembly has a box section along its entire length.

The channel member 10 comprises a pair of mutually opposed walls 12 and 13 and a web 14 joining the walls together. The walls 12 and 13 project in the same general direction from opposite margins of the web 14 which itself lies adjacent to respective margins of the walls. The walls 12 and 13 have respective flanges 15 and 1 6 which extend towards each other from those margins of the walls which are remote from the web 14. The walls 12 and 13, the web 14 and the flanges 1 5 and 1 6 are preferably integral with one another. The channel member is conveniently formed from a single piece of strip metal by a cold roll-forming process. The member may be formed of steel. Alternatively, the member could be formed of a plastics material by extrusion.

The channel member 10 is elongated, the cross-section shown in the drawing being in a plane perpendicular to the length of the member.

The member is preferably manufactured in an indeterminate length by a continuous process. As viewed along the member, the wall 12 has a width somewhat greater than that of the wall 13.

The dimension a of the wall 1 2 measured at the inside of the member from the web 14 to the flange 1 5 is substantially equal to the dimension b of the wall 1 3 measured at the outside of the member from the web 14 to the flange 16. The dimension a is measured between the internal surfaces of the web 14 and flange 15; whereas the dimension b is measured between the external surfaces of the web 14 and flange 1 6.

Thus, the difference between the width of the wall 1 2 and the width of the wall 13 is substantially equal to twice the thickness of the material from which the member is formed.

The member 11 has the same cross-section as does the member 10 and may be identical with the member 10 in all respects. Conveniently, the members 10 and 11 are severed from the same length of cold rolled section. In the box section element, the members 10 and 11 are fitted together with their webs 14 and 1 7 in mutually opposed, spaced apart relation, with the narrower wall 1 8 of the member 11 engaged with the internal surface of the wider wall 12 of the member 10 and with the narrower wall 1 3 of the member 10 engaged with the internal surface of the wider wall 19 of the member 1 The flange 1 5 engages the external surface of the web 17, the flange 1 6 engages the internal surface of the web 17 and the flanges 20 and 21 of the member 11 engage the web 14 in a corresponding manner.

The members 10 and 11 may be a free sliding fit one within the other so that they can be moved longitudinally into the overlapping relation illustrated in the drawing by hand. Alternatively, the members may be a tight sliding fit with each other so that a machine is required to slide one member longitudinally relatively to the other into the required overlapping relation.

It will be understood that channel members which are in mutually abutting end-to-end relation can be rigidly connected to each other by an overlapping channel member and that the box section element can be extended to any required length by adding channel members arranged in a similar manner. It will be understood that the channel member 9 is identical with the members 10 and 11 and is arranged with its longer wall abutting the longer wall of the member 10.

In the particular example of box section element illustrated, the webs 14 and 17 are parallel to each other, the walls 12, 13, 18 and 19 are all parallel to each other and the flanges are parallel to the webs. The angles included between each wall and the adjoining web are right angles and the angles included between each wall and the adjoining flange are also right angles. It is not essential for the walls to be flat and perpendicular to the webs. Similarly it is not essential for the flanges to be flat and perpendicular to the walls.

Typically, the dimension of each flange measured from the adjoining wall to a free edge of the flange lies within the range 10% to 20% of the corresponding dimension of the web and within the range 30% to 40% of the width of the adjoining wall. Typically, the separation between opposed walls of one member is within the range two to four times the width of the narrower wall of that member.

In the box section element, the channel members may be secured to each other by weiding or by riveting or by a combination of these. Preferably, the channel members are secured to each other by means of an adhesive.

An adhesive may be used in combination with riveting.

Claims

1. A channel member wherein the dimension of one wall measured at the outside of the member from the web to a margin of the one wall remote from the web is substantially equal to the dimension of the other wall measured at the inside of the member from the web to a margin of the other wall remote from the web.

2. A member according to Claim 1 comprising a pair of flanges extending towards each other, one from each wall at a margin thereof remote from the web.

3. A member according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein right angles are included between each wall and the web.

4. A member according to Claim 3 as appendant to Claim 2 wherein right angles are included between each wall and the adjoining flange.

5. An assembly comprising first and second identical channel members according to Claim 1 fitted together with their webs in mutually opposed, spaced apart relation and said one wall of each member lying at the inside of said other wall of the other member.

6. An assembly according to Claim 5 wherein the members are adhered to each other.

7. An assembly according to Claim 5 or Claim 6 comprising a third identical channel member wherein the first channel member projects beyond an end of the second channel member, the second and third channel members are arranged end-to-end and wherein the first channel member overlaps with both of and is fitted together with the second and third members.

8. A method of producing a box section element wherein two channel section members having the same cross-section are assembled together with their respective webs in mutually opposed, spaced apart relation, one wall of one member being engaged with the inside face of a wall of the other member and the inside face of the other wall of the one member being engaged with a further wall of the other member.

9. A method according to Claim 8 wherein the channel members are adhered to each other.

10. A channel member substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

11. A box section element substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

1 2. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein or in the accompanying drawing.