Rapid-assembly building construction system

Abstract

A standardized group of building construction components are disclosed that can be assembled in many different configurations to provide a wide variety of different sizes and styles of stick built buildings. Optionally each component can be cut from flat panels by making simple perpendicular cuts through the panels, then assembled to provide three-dimensional joints allowing further assembly to other components.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A kit adapted for assembling a composite building support, the composite building support further adapted for assembling with a series of spaced perpendicular building supports, the kit comprising:
 a first plate having a length greater than its height and a height greater than its width, its length and height defining opposed first and second major faces and its length and width defining opposed first and second long edges; and   a second plate that is non-co-extensive with the first plate when assembled, the second plate having a length greater than its height and a height greater than its width, its length and height defining opposed first and second major faces and its length and width defining opposed first and second long edges;   
       the first plate having a series of notches in a long edge at a series of points where the second plate is not notched when they are assembled, the notches defining a series of receptacles to receive tongues of building supports, the series of points where the second plate is not notched defining a series of tongues to receive notches of building supports. 
     
     
         2 . The invention of  claim 1 , in which the plates have been assembled to form a structural member. 
     
     
         3 . The invention of  claim 2 , comprising an assembly of two of the first plates sandwiching a second plate between them to define a composite beam. 
     
     
         4 . The invention of  claim 3 , in which the composite beam is configured as a joist. 
     
     
         5 . The invention of  3 , in which the composite beam is configured as a header. 
     
     
         6 . The invention of  claim 3 , in which the composite beam is configured as a bottom plate. 
     
     
         7 . The invention of  claim 3 , in which the composite beam is configured as a rafter. 
     
     
         8 . The invention of  claim 3 , in which the composite beam is configured as a gable rafter. 
     
     
         9 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A kit adapted for assembling a corner stud, comprising:
 a first plate having a height greater than its width and a width greater than its thickness, its height and width defining opposed first and second major faces and its length and width defining opposed first and second long edges, the first plate having at least one notch in a long edge; and   a second plate having a height greater than its width and a width greater than its thickness, its height and width defining opposed first and second major faces and its length and width defining opposed first and second long edges, the second plate having at least one tongue in a long edge complementary to the notch of the first plate;   
       in which the tongue of the first plate fits into the notch of the second plate when the first and second plate are assembled in perpendicular orientation 
     
     
         18 . The invention of  claim 1 , in which the first and second major faces of the first plate are congruent and registered. 
     
     
         19 . The invention of  claim 1 , in which the first and second major faces of the second plate are congruent and registered. 
     
     
         20 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The invention of  claim 1 , further comprising fastener holes through the plates adapted to receive fasteners for joining the plates at their major faces. 
     
     
         23 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . The invention of  claim 1 , further comprising a crossing notch in a major face of one of the plates for receiving a corresponding crossing notch of a perpendicular plate. 
     
     
         26 . The invention of  claim 25 , in which a crossing notch of a plate is one half of the height of the plate. 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . The invention of  claim 1 , in which at least some of the notches and tongues are butting notches and tongues for receiving corresponding butting tongues and notches on an end of a perpendicular part. 
     
     
         29 . The invention of  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of foundation chairs, each foundation chair having at least two vertical webs at right angles, the plates having notches on a lower portion at each end to engage a vertical web of a foundation chair. 
     
     
         30 . The invention of  claim 1 , in which the plates have a series of cut outs for passing building components or utility lines perpendicularly with respect to the plates. 
     
     
         31 . The invention of  claim 1 , in which at least one plate has a tab ( 152  or  154 ) projecting laterally for securing the plate to an adjacent structural member (e.g.  11 ). 
     
     
         32 . A cantilever support having a pair of major faces, the support adapted for being installed in spaced oblong cut outs of first and second building supports running generally perpendicular to the cantilever support, the oblong cut outs having a major dimension and a minor dimension, the cantilever support comprising:
 a first portion configured to define a cantilever when installed;   a second portion comprising a first pair of opposed notches configured for engaging an oblong cut out of the first building support and a second pair of opposed notches for engaging an oblong cut out of the second building support;   in which the notches of each pair of opposed notches are separated from each other by a portion of the cantilever support no larger than the minor dimension of the corresponding oblong cut out and at least part of the major face of the second portion of the cantilever support is wider than the minor dimension of the corresponding cut out, such that the cantilever support can be inserted through the cut outs with its major faces generally parallel to the long dimension of the oblong cut out, lining up the notches and cut outs, then rotated to engage the oblong cut outs with the corresponding notches.   
     
     
         33 . A ring truss kit comprising two upper chords, each having joining ends and separated ends, two lower chords, a center truss ring configured to join the upper and lower chords at their joining ends, two flanking truss rings each configured to join an upper chord and a lower chord between their ends, and two saddles configured to join at least one of the upper and lower chords to supporting structure at its separated end. 
     
     
         34 . (canceled)