System and method for attaching a wall to a building structure

Abstract

An attachment member formed from sheet material configured to connect a wall to a curved roof of a building structure. The attachment member includes at least two segments: a first segment having a flat center portion and a pair of walls extending perpendicular to the center portion in cross section, the pair of walls defining a recess oriented in a direction perpendicular to the center portion, wherein the recess is adapted to accommodate a portion of a wall of a building structure; and a second segment extending from one of the walls of the first segment, the second segment being oriented in a same plane as the flat center portion of the first segment in cross section, the second segment including a longitudinal rib, the longitudinal rib protruding in cross section from the second segment, the longitudinal rib being adapted to mate with a rib of a curved building panel. Building structures made using such attachment members and an attachment member forming system are also described.

1 . A system for forming an attachment member for connecting a wall to a curved roof of a building structure, the system comprising:
 a. a support structure;   b. a cutting assembly supported by the support structure configured to receive sheet material wherein a plane of the sheet material is oriented in a substantially vertical orientation, the cutting assembly including a slitter to cut the sheet material along a feed direction of the sheet material into first and second portions of sheet material, the slitter having guides to support the first and second portions of sheet material in the substantially vertical orientation, the guides directing the first portion of sheet material in a first direction and directing the second portion of sheet material in a second direction different from the first direction; and   c. a forming assembly supported by the support structure, the forming assembly being configured to receive sheet material from the cutting assembly and comprising:
 i. a frame, and 
 ii. multiple rollers supported by the frame, the multiple rollers arranged to impact the first portion of sheet material and change a cross-sectional shape of the first portion of sheet material as the first portion of sheet material passes along the multiple rollers in the feed direction to form an attachment member, the attachment member having a plurality of segments in cross section in a plane perpendicular to the feed direction including a first flat segment in cross section and a second segment extending perpendicularly in cross section from the first segment. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 d. a curving assembly supported on the support structure for curving the attachment member, the curving assembly comprising:
 a first pair of crimping rollers offset from one another and located within the curving assembly configured to receive the attachment member such that when the attachment member enters the curving assembly the second segment of the attachment member passes between said crimping rollers, 
 wherein the first pair of crimping rollers is configured to crimp the second segment of the attachment member to impart a longitudinal curve to the attachment member along a length of the attachment member. 
 
 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to form the attachment member such that the attachment member comprises:
 a. a first segment having a flat center portion and a pair of walls extending perpendicular to the center portion in cross section, the pair of walls defining a recess oriented in a direction perpendicular to the center portion, wherein the recess is adapted to accommodate a portion of a wall of a building structure;   b. a second segment extending from one of the walls of the first segment, the second segment being oriented in a same plane as the flat center portion of the first segment in cross section, the second segment including a longitudinal rib, the longitudinal rib protruding in cross section from the second segment, the longitudinal rib being adapted to mate with a rib of a curved building panel.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the multiple rollers comprises:
 a. an upper set of rollers attached to an adjustable platform mounted on a shaft; and 
 b. a lower set of rollers; 
 c. wherein a distance between the upper set of rollers and the lower set of rollers is adjustable such that attachment members of different sizes can be accommodated. 
 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a building panel forming apparatus supported on the support structure. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a decoiler supported by the support structure configured to feed sheet material to the cutting assembly, wherein the decoiler is oriented vertically such that a rotation axis of the decoiler is parallel to a vertical direction. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  further comprising a drive unit supported on the support structure proximate the decoiler and the cutting assembly, the drive unit configured to feed the sheet material from the decoiler to the cutting assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the curving assembly further comprises a second pair of crimping rollers offset from one another and offset from the first pair of crimping rollers, wherein a distance between the first pair of crimping rollers and the second pair of crimping rollers is adjustable to accommodate different sizes of attachment members. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the rollers of the forming assembly is removable to form the attachment member into either an L-shape or C-shape in cross section. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the curving assembly is mounted on a movable platform supported on the support structure and located between the cutting assemblyand the forming assembly. 
     
     
         11 . An attachment member formed from sheet material configured to connect a wall to a curved roof of a building structure, the curved roof being formed from a plurality of curved building panels, the attachment member being curved in a longitudinal direction and having a shape in cross section in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the attachment member comprising:
 a. a first segment having a flat center portion and a pair of walls extending perpendicular to the center portion in cross section, the pair of walls defining a recess oriented in a direction perpendicular to the center portion, wherein the recess is adapted to accommodate a portion of a wall of a building structure; and   b. a second segment extending from one of the walls of the first segment, the second segment being oriented in a same plane as the flat center portion of the first segment in cross section, the second segment including a longitudinal rib, the longitudinal rib protruding in cross section from the second segment, the longitudinal rib being adapted to mate with a rib of a curved building panel.   
     
     
         12 . The attachment member of  claim 11  wherein the central portion of the curved building panel includes a rib in cross section, and wherein the longitudinal rib of the attachment member is adapted to mate with the rib of the building panel. 
     
     
         13 . The attachment member of  claim 11  wherein the attachment member is formed from two portions of sheet material. 
     
     
         14 . The attachment member of  claim 13 , wherein the attachment member comprises:
 a. a first L-shaped portion in cross section, the first L-shaped member forming one of the walls of the first segment; and   b. a second L-shaped portion in cross section forming the other wall of the first segment;   c. wherein the first L-shaped portion is mated to the second L-shaped portion to form the first segment of the attachment member.   
     
     
         15 . The attachment member of  claim 13 , wherein the attachment member comprises:
 a. an L-shaped portion in cross section; and   b. a C-shaped portion in cross section;   c. wherein the C-shaped portion is nested into the L-shaped portion to form the first segment of the attachment member.   
     
     
         16 . The attachment member of  claim 11  wherein the attachment member is formed from a single portion of sheet material. 
     
     
         17 . The attachment member of  claim 16  wherein the attachment member further comprises:
 a. a third segment extending from a wall opposite the second segment, the third segment being oriented in a same plane as the flat center portion of the first segment in cross section, the third segment including a second longitudinal rib; and 
 b. the second longitudinal rib protruding in cross section from the third segment, the second longitudinal rib being adapted to mate with a rib of another curved building panel. 
 
     
     
         18 . The attachment member of  claim 11  wherein the sheet material comprises sheet metal having a thickness between about 0.035 inches and about 0.060 inches. 
     
     
         19 . A building structure comprising:
 a. a curved roof formed from a plurality of interconnected building panels, each building panel extending in a longitudinal direction and having a shape in cross section in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, wherein each building panel includes a central portion having a rib in cross section;   b. a wall; and   c. an attachment member formed from sheet material attaching the wall to the curved roof, the attachment member comprising:
 i. a first segment having a flat center portion and a pair of walls extending perpendicular to the center portion in cross section, the pair of walls defining a recess oriented in a direction perpendicular to the center portion, wherein the recess is adapted to accommodate a portion of a wall of a building structure; 
 ii. a second segment extending from one of the walls of the first segment, the second segment being oriented in a same plane as the flat center portion of the first segment in cross section, the second segment including a longitudinal rib, the longitudinal rib protruding in cross section from the second segment, the longitudinal rib being adapted to mate with a rib of a curved building panel; and 
 iii. wherein the flat center portion of the first segment is connected to a first building panel of the curved roof, and the longitudinal rib of the second segment is connected to a rib of a second building panel of the curved roof. 
   
     
     
         20 . The building structure of  claim 19  wherein the wall is an exterior wall of the building structure. 
     
     
         21 . The building structure of  claim 19  wherein the wall is inset from an edge of the curved roof by greater than the width of one of the interconnected building panels to provide an open yet covered area. 
     
     
         22 . The building structure of  claim 19  wherein the wall is an interior wall of the building structure. 
     
     
         23 . The building structure of  claim 19  wherein the wall is formed from a set of interconnected building panels. 
     
     
         24 . The building structure of  claim 19  wherein the wall is formed from a set of concrete blocks. 
     
     
         25 . A method of forming an attachment member for connecting a wall to a building structure, the method comprising:
 a. cutting sheet material from a source of sheet material in a feed direction into first and second portions of sheet material, wherein a plane of the sheet material is oriented in a substantially vertical orientation;   b. supporting the first and second portions of sheet material in the vertical orientation with guides such that the first portion of sheet material is directed in a first direction and the second portion of sheet material is directed in a second direction different from the first direction;   c. translating the first portion of sheet material through multiple rollers, the multiple rollers arranged to impact the first portion of sheet material as the first portion passes along the multiple rollers in a feed direction to form an attachment member, the attachment member having a plurality of segments in cross section in a plane perpendicular to the feed direction including a first flat segment in cross section and a second segment extending perpendicularly in cross section from the first segment; and   d. crimping the second segment of the attachment member to impart a longitudinal curve to the attachment member along a length of the attachment member.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the attachment member comprises:
 a. a first segment having a flat center portion and a pair of walls extending perpendicular to the center portion in cross section, the pair of walls defining a recess oriented in a direction perpendicular to the center portion, wherein the recess is adapted to accommodate a portion of a wall of a building structure; and 
 b. a second segment extending from one of the walls of the first segment, the second segment being oriented in a same plane as the flat center portion of the first segment in cross section, the second segment including a longitudinal rib, the longitudinal rib protruding in cross section from the second segment, the longitudinal rib being adapted to mate with a rib of a curved building panel. 
 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25  further comprising the steps of:
 a. attaching a first segment of the attachment member to a first building panel of a curved roof; 
 b. attaching a second segment of the attachment member to a second building panel of the curved roof, wherein the second building panel is adjacent the first building panel; and 
 c. attaching the attachment member to a portion of a wall of a building structure. 
 
     
     
         28 . A system for forming an attachment member for connecting a wall to a curved roof of a building structure, the system comprising:
 a. a support structure;   b. a cutting assembly supported by the support structure configured to receive sheet material, the cutting assembly including a slitter to cut the sheet material along a feed direction of the sheet material into first and second portions of sheet material, the slitter having guides to support the first and second portions of sheet material, the guides directing the first portion of sheet material in a first direction and directing the second portion of sheet material in a second direction different from the first direction; and   c. a forming assembly supported by the support structure, the forming assembly being configured to receive sheet material from the cutting assembly and comprising:
 i. a frame, and 
 ii. multiple rollers supported by the frame, the multiple rollers arranged to impact the first portion of sheet material and change a cross-sectional shape of the first portion of sheet material as the first portion of sheet material passes along the multiple rollers in the feed direction to form an attachment member, the attachment member having a plurality of segments in cross section in a plane perpendicular to the feed direction including a first flat segment in cross section and a second segment extending perpendicularly in cross section from the first segment; 
   wherein the forming assembly is configured to form the attachment member such that the attachment member comprises:
 a first segment having a flat center portion and a pair of walls extending perpendicular to the center portion in cross section, the pair of walls defining a recess oriented in a direction perpendicular to the center portion, wherein the recess is adapted to accommodate a portion of a wall of a building structure; 
 a second segment extending from one of the walls of the first segment, the second segment being oriented in a same plane as the flat center portion of the first segment in cross section, the second segment including a longitudinal rib, the longitudinal rib protruding in cross section from the second segment, the longitudinal rib being adapted to mate with a rib of a curved building panel.