Method of fabricating a building frame structure

Abstract

A column/beam, beam/beam interconnection in a building frame method. The interconnection of the method of the invention features (a) a pair of parallel-spaced, upright, planar plate components operatively associated with either a side of a column or a side of a beam, (b) an elongate, generally horizontal beam including a generally upright, planar central web with an end which, with respect to a pair of such plate components, extends into the space which exists between those components, and (c) a structural relationship in such a building frame associated with the plate components in a pair, which relationship accommodates (a) vertical-motion placement of a web end between components, with (b) the automatic establishment thereby of a correct relative, spatial, three-dimensional relationship and disposition of the plate components in the frame, and of the specific, associated column/beam and/or beam/beam elements so interconnected.

1 . A method of installing an elongate beam between a pair of nominally in-place, previously installed building-frame elements which, before such beam installing, are spaced apart by a substantially correct lateral distance, and where the beam includes a generally planar, upright central web, said method comprising 
 establishing for each of such two spaced elements a joined anchor point in the form of (a) a pair of spaced, substantially parallel-planar plate components which are spaced apart in a manner creating an upright, generally planar, straight-down vertically accessible, open-topped beam-web receiving zone having a lateral width which is suitable for freely receiving the thickness of such a beam's central web, and (b) a spanning device extending between such plate components at a location which is below the open top of the receiving zone,    preparing each of the opposite ends of such a beam's central web (a) to be vertically clear so as to permit downward insertion of the web end into a receiving zone of the character mentioned and through the open top of that zone, and (b) to possess a downwardly facing hook designed to catch and seat downwardly by gravity against a spanning device of the type mentioned,    vertically lowering a prepared-web-end beam to cause its prepared web ends to be inserted into the receiving zones associated with the established anchoring points associated with the two spaced building-frame elements, with the hooks in the prepared web ends catching and becoming seated on the spanning devices associated with such anchor points, and without requiring any appreciable increasing of the pre-lowering lateral spacing between the building-frame elements, and    by said vertically lowering, (a) causing the lowered beam to become attached and interconnected by gravity to the spaced building-frame elements, and (b) creating a condition of gravity-stabilized, correctly spatially organized interlock of the lowered beam and the interconnected, spaced building-frame elements.