초록 ▼

A column and beam joint system is used to make possible the construction of a large tower such as an electrical transmission tower, which has at least three and probably four corner legs or columns which are interconnected and supported by a lattice structure of cross members. The columns have speci

A column and beam joint system is used to make possible the construction of a large tower such as an electrical transmission tower, which has at least three and probably four corner legs or columns which are interconnected and supported by a lattice structure of cross members. The columns have specialized channels extending substantially their full lengths and the cross members have specialized locking ends which lock into retaining structure defined in the channels, permitting braces to be inserted and locked in place at any selected point along the channel. A technique for connecting a cross member brace between a column and another cross member is also disclosed. All of the principle parts of the tower are pultruded composites which are either used in their longitudinally extended form or sectioned as required by the application. The entire tower can thus be formed of pultruded composites without the use of metal fasteners or connecting structure, enabling the tower to be made smaller and more compact, thus reducing induced EMF around the base of the tower.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A column and cross member system in which a pultruded composite column and at least one cross member are configured to couple together to define a joint, said system comprising: (a) a pultruded composite column having a longitudinal direction and defining a longitudinal internal seating channe

1. A column and cross member system in which a pultruded composite column and at least one cross member are configured to couple together to define a joint, said system comprising: (a) a pultruded composite column having a longitudinal direction and defining a longitudinal internal seating channel extending substantially the entire length of said column and being open to the outside over a longitudinal length at least adequate to permit the insertion of the end of at least one cross member therein; (b) at least one cross member having at least one seating end insertable into said seating channel wherein same is open to the outside; (c) said channel defining cross member retaining structure along at least a portion of the length thereof to rigidly engage the seating end of a cross member butted into said channel; (d) said at least one seating end of said at least one cross member defining locking means cooperating with said retaining structure to insert into said channel and engage said retaining structure to define a rigid joint with said cross member butted into said column; (e) said column and said at least one cross member being structural members and said seating end being compressible and said locking means comprising detente elements externally defined on said seating end and said retaining structure being defined in the lateral sides of said seating channel and said cross member and said channel are dimensioned such that said end must be compressed to enter said seating channel and when released expands such that said detente elements engage said retaining structure, and including means operative with said seating end to oppose compression thereof after same is seated in said channel. 2. A system according to claim 1 wherein said retaining structure and detente elements comprise complimentary sawtooth elements defining a uni-directional sliding action in the direction toward and normal to said column into said channel, and said complimentary sawtooth elements are defined on both sides of said channel as integral pultrusion contours of the pultruded column and extend substantially the entire length thereof and said seating end of said at least one cross member is bifurcated to define two laterally compressible tines having outer lateral side walls and the sawtooth elements are outwardly directed on said outer lateral side wall. 3. A column and cross member system in which a pultruded composite column and at least one cross member are configured to couple together to define a joint, said system comprising: (a) a pultruded composite column having a longitudinal direction and defining a longitudinal internal seating channel extending substantially the entire length of said column and being open to the outside over a longitudinal length at least adequate to permit the insertion of the end of at least one cross member therein; (b) at least one cross member having at least one seating end insertable into said seating channel wherein same is open to the outside; (c) said channel defining cross member retaining structure along at least a portion of the length thereof to rigidly engage the seating end of a cross member butted into said channel; (d) said at least one setting end of said at least one cross member defining locking means cooperating with said retaining structure to insert into said channel and engage said retaining structure to define a rigid joint with said cross member butted into said column; (e) the seating end of said cross member being hollow to define an open-ended internal corridor bifurcated to produce two spaced mutually compressible tines having lateral side walls defining said locking means thereon such that said tines are compressed together to permit said seating end to be inserted in said channel, whereupon releasing said tines said locking means move into seated locking engagement with said retaining means, and including means operative with said seating end to prevent compression of said tines once seated in said channel. 4. A system according to claim 3 and including a wedge block slidably received in said corridor with means to effect the sliding of said wedge block into said seating end to prevent said tines from moving together, whereby column/cross member joint rigidity is maximized. 5. A system according to claim 4 wherein said means to effect the sliding of said wedge block comprises a pair of slots entrant from the seating end of at least one cross member, said slots resulting from the bifurcation of said seating end and said wedge block is accessible through said slots for moving same along said corridor in the direction of said seating end. 6. A column and a cross member system in which a pultruded composite column and at least one cross member are configured to couple together to define a joint, said system comprising: (a) a pultruded composite column having a longitudinal direction and defining a longitudinal internal seating channel extending substantially the entire length of said column and being open over a longitudinal length at least adequate to permit the insertion of the end of at least one cross member therein; (b) at least one cross member having at least one seating end insertable into said seating channel where same is open; (c) said channel defining cross member retaining structure along at least a portion of the length thereof to rigidity engage the seating end of a cross member butted into said channel; and, (d) said at least one seating end of said at least one cross member defining locking means cooperating with said retaining structure to insert into said channel and engage said retaining structure to define a rigid joint with said cross member butted into said column; (e) said seating end of said cross member being hollow to define an open-ended internal corridor and being bifurcated to produce two spaced mutually compressible tines having lateral side walls defining said locking means thereon such that said tines are compressible together to permit said seating end to be inserted into said channel and upon releasing said tines said locking means move into seated locking engagement with said retaining means; (f) a wedge block slidably received in said corridor with means to effect the sliding of said wedge block into said seating end to prevent said tines from moving together, maximizing column/cross member joint rigidity; (g) said means to effect the sliding of said wedge block comprising a pair of slots entrant from the seating end of said at least one cross member, said slots resulting from the bifurcation of said seating end and said wedge block being accessible through said slots for moving same along said corridor in the direction of said seating end; and, (h) said slots each having a terminal end at the opposite end of the respective slot from the entrant end and said block having at least one pin extending therefrom at a position to permit same to travel along one of said slots and catch at the terminal end of said one of said slots to prevent escape of said block into the central portions of said at least one cross member. 7. A system according to claim 6 and including means to stop said wedge block in a wedged position between said tines. 8. A system according to claim 7 wherein said means to stop said block comprises a tab to extend through one of said slots into said corridor between the terminal end of the respective slot and said block. 9. A system according to claim 8 wherein said tab extends from a cover plate mounted to said column to cover at least a part of said entryway. 10. A column and a cross number system in which a pultruded composite column and at least one cross member are configured to couple together to define a joint, said system comprising: (a) a pultruded composite column having a longitudinal direction and defining a longitudinal internal seating channel extending substantially the entire length of said column and being open to the outside over a longitudinal length at least adequate to permit the insertion of the end of at least one cross member therein; (b) at least one cross member having at least one seating end insertable into said seating channel wherein same is open to the outside; (c) said channel defining cross member retaining structure along at least a portion of the length thereof to rigidly engage the seating end of a cross member butted into said channel; (d) said at least one seating end of said at least one cross member defining locking means cooperating with said retaining structure to insert into said channel and engage said retaining structure to define a rigid joint with said cross member butted into said column; (e) said channel having a cross member-receiving entryway side and said column defining an enclosing skin having at least one window at the entryway side of said channel to permit the insertion and seating of the seating end of said at least one cross member therethrough, said window being of longitudinal extent substantially greater than the corresponding end of a cross member seated in said channel to permit said cross member to be swung into place in said channel rather than longitudinally inserted, and said window being of longitudinal extent adequate to permit the seating of up to three cross members which converge in said channel as a central, orthogonally inserted cross bar with two diagonally inserted cross members on opposite sides of said orthogonally inserted cross bar, all three cross bars converging inside said channel. 11. A column and cross member system in which a pultruded composite column and at least one cross member are configured to couple together to define a joint, said system comprising: (a) a pultruded composite column having a longitudinal direction and defining a longitudinal internal seating channel extending substantially the entire length of said column and being open to the outside over a longitudinal length at least adequate to permit the insertion of the end of at least one cross member therein; (b) at least one cross member having at least one seating end insertable into said seating channel wherein same is open to the outside; (c) said channel defining cross member retaining structure along at least a portion of the length thereof to rigidly engage the seating end of a cross member butted into said channel; (d) said at least one seating end of said at least one cross member defining locking means cooperating with said retaining structure to insert into said channel and engage said retaining structure to define a rigid joint with said cross member butted into said column; (e) said channel having a cross member-receiving entryway side and said column defining an enclosing skin having at least one window at the entryway side of said channel to permit the insertion and seating of the seating end of said at least one cross member therethrough, said window being of longitudinal extent substantially greater than the corresponding end of a cross member seated in said channel to permit said cross member to be swung into place in said channel rather than longitudinally inserted, and including a cover plate dimensioned to cover any portion of said window unoccupied by cross members. 12. A system according to claim 11 wherein said cover plate has locking means for locking into the retaining means in said channel. 13. A system according to claim 12 wherein said channel has lateral side walls and said cover plate has lateral edges which curve around said channel at the edges of said chamber entryway to prevent separation of the lateral side walls of said channel. 14. A column and cross member system in which a pultruded composite column and at least one cross member are configured to couple together to define a joint, said system comprising: (a) a pultruded composite column having a longitudinal direction and defining a longitudinal internal seating channel extending substantially the entire length of said column and being open to the outside over a longitudinal length at least adequate to permit the insertion of the end of at least one cross member therein; (b) at least one cross member having at least one seating end insertable into said seating channel wherein same is open to the outside; (c) said channel defining cross member retaining structure along at least a portion of the length thereof to rigidly engage the seating end of a cross member butted into said channel; (d) said at least one seating end of said at least one cross member defining locking means cooperating with said retaining structure to insert into said channel and engage said retaining structure to define a rigid joint with said cross member butted into said column; and (e) said column and said at least one cross member being structural members and said channel being a first channel and comprising a substantially parallel-walled slot defining a plane parallel to the longitudinal dimension of said column, and including at least one additional channel substantially identical to said first channel and extending longitudinally in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of extension of said first channel. 15. A system according to claim 14 wherein said at least one additional channel is a channel defining a plane normal to the plane defined by said first panel. 16. A system according to claim 15 wherein said at least one additional channel is a channel defining a striking an angle of on the order of sixth degrees with the plane of said first channel with said angle being measured in a plane orthogonal to a direction of longitudinal extent of said channel. 17. A column and cross member system in which a pultruded composite column and at least one cross member are configured to couple together to define a joint, said system comprising: (a) a pultruded composite column having a longitudinal direction and defining a longitudinal internal seating channel extending substantially the entire length of said column and being open to the outside over a longitudinal length at least adequate to permit the insertion of the end of at least one cross member therein; (b) at least one cross member having at least one seating end insertable into said seating channel wherein said is open to the outside; (c) said channel defining cross member retaining structure along at least a portion of the length thereof to rigidly engage the seating end of a cross member butted into said channel; (d) said at least one seating end of said at least one cross member defining locking means cooperating with said retaining structure to insert into said channel and engage said retaining structure to define a rigid joint with said cross member butted into said column; and, said column defining channel side walls having inner and outer surfaces which are substantially parallel to one another following an undulating pattern that produces sawtooth ridges on the inner surfaces to define said retaining structure, and defining corresponding design lines on the outer surfaces whereby the wall thickness of each side wall is substantially uniform and comprises a substantially uniform ply schedule of fiber layers pultruded to result in the formation of said side wall. 18. A tower structure constructed in substantial part from pultruded composite members comprising: (a) at least three spaced pultruded composite main longitudinal support columns defining transverse sectional corners of said tower; (b) a plurality of cross members defining a support lattice for said columns and at least some of said cross members having at least one seating end terminating at one of said columns to form a butt joint; (c) said columns each defining at least one longitudinally extended channel for receiving the seating ends of at least one butted cross member; (d) said channels defining internal retaining means for engaging the seating ends of said butted cross members; and, (e) said seating ends having locking means which insert into and engage said retaining means in a respective one of said channels to define a locked joint, whereby said butted cross members can be inserted into a selected channel at any one of a plurality of possible positions therealong and locked in place to define a butt joint. 19. A system according to claim 18 wherein said seating ends are bifurcated to define two resilient mutually compressible tines with lateral side walls, and said locking means comprise cross members sawtooth detentes defined on said lateral side walls, said channels have inner substantially parallel side walls and said retaining means comprising channel sawtooth detentes which lock together with said cross member sawtooth detentes when a respective seating end is compressed to reduce the mutual tine spacing, inserted into a respective channel, and released. 20. A system according to claim 19 wherein said channel sawtooth detentes extend the substantial length of the respective column and are formed as continuous pultruded ridges formed by the column pultrusion die as the column was pultruded. 21. A system according to claim 19 wherein a substantial portion of said cross members comprise hollow pultruded composites having said cross member sawtooth detentes machined in the opposite lateral side wall of the seating ends subsequent to pultrusion. 22. A system according to claim 21 wherein said hollow pultruded cross members each define an internal hollow corridor and including a wedge block slidably received within said corridor, said wedge block being dimensioned to occupy substantially all of the cross section of said corridor such that sliding said block into said seating end into a locking position after seating in a channel locks said cross member in place and prevents compression of said tines. 23. A system according to claim 22 and including stop means for holding said block in said locking position. 24. A system according to claim 23 and including means to prevent escape of said block along said corridor beyond a predetermined distance from said seating end. 25. A system according to claim 18 wherein at least some of said butted cross members span between two of said columns and have two seating ends which lock in the respective channels of said two columns. 26. A system according to claim 18 wherein the two channels in each of said columns are mutually parallel in their directions of extension and the channels of each column are oriented such that they are laterally directed to the two next adjacent columns in the tower plan form configuration to seat butted cross members extending therebetween, and including respective butted cross members which seat in and span between every next adjacent pair of cross members in the tower plan form to define a rigid structure. 27. A system according to claim 26 wherein some of said cross braces extending from one seating end seated in one of said channels to a midportion of one of said cross members where it forms a brace butt joint therewith. 28. A system according to claim 27 wherein said braces are hollow pultruded composites having a seating end and an open hollow brace joint end, and including a strap encircling said midportion and having straps ends mounted to said brace joint end. 29. A system according to claim 28 wherein said strap is rigid and said strap ends insert into said open hollow brace joint end and are outwardly biased terminating in outwardly directed tabs, and the inside walls of said hollow braces define recesses into which said tabs lock to form a rigid brace joint. 30. A system according to claim 18 wherein some of said butted cross members are each diagonally oriented relative to the column in which it seats such that it lies in a side plane substantially defined by the column within which it seats and a next adjacent column. 31. A system according to claim 30 wherein some of said butted cross members are each substantially outwardly extended from the column in which it seats and lies in one of said side planes. 32. A system according to claim 18 wherein said columns each define peripheral skin defined in the column pultrusion process, and said skin covers said channels defined in the respective column, and including windows cut into said skin at cross member insertion points along said channel. 33. A system according to claim 32 wherein said windows are longitudinally oversized compared to the longitudinal portion of the window occupied by a cross member, and including cover plates having locking structure which inserts into a selected one of said channels to lock the respective cover plate in place.