Building construction using braced frame slab assemblies having heavy perimeter rails

Abstract

This invention relates to the construction of a building using Braced Frame Slab Assemblies Having Heavy Perimeter Rails that comprise Floor Slab and Wall Slab Assemblies formed of heavy perimeter Rails, with Rail Frame Connectors, such as a plurality of heavy threaded screws, joining the heavy perimeter Rails to form the Floor Slabs and Wall Slabs. The Slab can then be equipped with joists for floors or studs for walls, and with structural sheathing to provide shear load carrying capacity. The Slab to Slab Connectors also secure juxtaposed Floor Slabs and Wall Slabs.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for constructing a building, comprising:
 constructing a plurality of Slabs, each Slab formed of a plurality of interconnected heavy perimeter Rails that enclose a predetermined space; and   interconnecting each heavy perimeter Rail of the plurality of heavy perimeter Rails in a Slab with a juxtaposed heavy perimeter Rail using Rail Frame Connectors.   
     
     
         2 . The method for constructing a building of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 joining a first Slab of the plurality of Slabs to a second Slab of the plurality of Slabs by interconnecting a heavy perimeter Rail of the first Slab to a juxtaposed heavy perimeter Rail of the second Slab using Slab to Slab Connectors.   
     
     
         3 . The method for constructing a building of  claim 2 , wherein the step of joining comprises:
 joining the first Slab to the juxtaposed second Slab using Slab to Slab Connectors in at least one location along their juxtaposed heavy perimeter Rails.   
     
     
         4 . The method for constructing a building of  claim 1 , wherein the step of constructing Slabs comprise:
 forming at least one of a Wall Slab and a Floor Slab by incorporating studs and joists into the Slab that extend between heavy perimeter Rails, respectively.   
     
     
         5 . The method for constructing a building of  claim 4 , wherein the Wall Slabs are connected to Floor Slabs by their respective Rails and the Floor Slab is connected to the Foundation, so all structural loads on the building are transferred to the foundation. 
     
     
         6 . The method for constructing a building of  claim 5 , wherein the step of constructing a Wall Slab further comprises:
 affixing structural sheathing to a one of an exterior face or an interior face of the structural two dimensional Slab(s) to provide in plane shear carrying capacity.   
     
     
         7 . The method for constructing a building of  claim 5 , wherein the step of constructing a Floor Slab further comprises:
 forming a structural two dimensional Slab(s) including structural sheathing to provide shear load carrying capacity.   
     
     
         8 . The method for constructing a building of  claim 1 , wherein the step of interconnecting using Rail Frame Connectors comprises:
 using a plurality of heavy threaded screws or other hardware with a similar function to interconnect heavy perimeter Rails.   
     
     
         9 . The method for constructing a building of  claim 1 , wherein the step of interconnecting using Slab to Slab Connectors comprises:
 using a plurality of heavy threaded screws to interconnect the heavy perimeter Rails of juxtaposed Slabs.   
     
     
         10 . A building, comprising:
 a plurality of Slabs, each Slab formed of a plurality of interconnected heavy perimeter Rails that enclose a predetermined space; and   a plurality of Rail Frame Connectors which interconnect each heavy perimeter Rail of the plurality of heavy perimeter Rails in a Slab with a juxtaposed heavy perimeter Rail.   
     
     
         11 . The building of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a first Slab of the plurality of Slabs joined to a second Slab of the plurality of Slabs by interconnecting a heavy perimeter Rail of the first Slab to a juxtaposed heavy perimeter Rail of the second Slab using Slab to Slab Connectors in at least one location along their juxtaposed heavy perimeter Rails.   
     
     
         12 . The building of  claim 10 , wherein further comprising:
 at least one of a Wall Slab and a Floor Slab by incorporating studs and joists into the Slab that extend between heavy perimeter Rails, respectively.   
     
     
         13 . The building of  claim 12 , wherein the Wall Slabs are connected to Floor Slabs by their respective Rails, and the Floor Slab is connected to the Foundation, so all structural loads on the building are transferred to the foundation. 
     
     
         14 . The building of  claim 13 , wherein the Wall Slabs further comprise:
 structural sheathing affixed to a one of an exterior face or an interior face of the structural two dimensional slab to provide in plane shear carrying capacity.   
     
     
         15 . The building of  claim 11 , wherein the Floor Slab comprises:
 a structural two dimensional slab including joists that extend between heavy perimeter Rails.   
     
     
         16 . The building of  claim 15 , wherein the Floor Slab further comprises:
 a structural two dimensional slab including structural sheathing to provide shear load carrying capacity.   
     
     
         17 . The building of  claim 10 , wherein the Rail Frame Connectors comprise:
 a plurality of heavy threaded screws that present a structurally secure Rail in the first Slab to the juxtaposed Rail in the second Slab by interconnecting the Rails that form the perimeter of these Slabs.   
     
     
         18 . The building of  claim 10 , wherein the step of interconnecting using Rail Frame Connectors comprises:
 a plurality of heavy threaded screws to interconnect heavy perimeter rails.   
     
     
         19 . The building of  claim 10 , wherein the step of interconnecting using Slab to Slab Connectors comprises:
 a plurality of heavy threaded screws to interconnect the heavy perimeter rails of juxtaposed Slabs.