Light weight building material
View Patent ↗The present invention relates to a light weight building material ( 1 ) for structural work. The light weight building material ( 1 ) comprises at least three walls, a first wall ( 11 ), a second wall ( 12 ) and a third wall ( 13 ) formed from a single piece of galvanized iron sheet to form a triangular-section. However, a circular section may also be used while a rectangular section is preferred. The galvanized iron sheet is cut and cold-rolled to form the light weight building material ( 1 ).
1. A light weight building material having a length, a width, and a height, the building material comprising:
first and second side sections, a top section, and a bottom section, the sections being formed as a rectangular single elongated metal sheet,
the first and second side sections extending longitudinally along the length of the building material and laterally along the height of the building material, the first and second side sections being generally parallel to the other, and the first and second side sections including a plurality of corrugations extending in a direction traverse to the length of the building material, the plurality of corrugations disposed on only the first and second side sections,
the top section extending longitudinally along the length of the building material and laterally along the width of the building material,
the bottom section defining a first and second bottom portion extending longitudinally along the length of the building material, the first bottom portion having a width substantially equal to a width of the second bottom portion, and
the bottom section having a rolled interlocking joint including at least four layers extending longitudinally along the length of the building material, the rolled interlocking joint including a first generally U-shaped portion formed from the first bottom portion and a second generally U-shaped portion formed from the second bottom portion, each U-shaped portion forming two of the four layers of the rolled interlocking joint, each U-shaped portion being configured to interlock with the other, and each U-shaped portion having a major surface extending laterally along the width of the building material, and the major surface of each U-shaped portion having a lateral width that is at least two times greater than a thickness of the interlocking joint in a direction perpendicular to the lateral width.
2. The building material of claim 1 wherein the metal sheet is galvanized mild steel.
3. The building material of claim 1 , wherein the building material is a roof truss.
4. The light weight building material of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the interlocking joint substantially is disposed so as to face inward and away from an outer surface of the bottom section, and the generally U-shaved portions abut each other when interlocked, such that the outer surface of the bottom section being substantially planar at the interlocking joint.
5. A roof truss having a major axis, comprising:
a single elongated metal sheet forming a closed hollow section in a plane perpendicular to the major axis, the closed hollow section defining a rectangular-section having two side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall;
means for interlocking opposite edges of the metal sheet, the interlocking means being disposed at the opposite edges of the metal sheet on the bottom wall, the interlocking means having a thickness that is substantially disposed so as to face inward into the hollow section and away from an outer surface of the bottom section, such that the outer surface of the bottom section is substantially planar at the interlocking means; and
means for reinforcing the roof truss, the reinforcing means being disposed on only the two side walls wherein the reinforcing means being either a plurality of corrugations or a plurality of ribs, the corrugations or ribs each extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the major axis of the roof truss.
6. A roof truss as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the metal sheet is a galvanized steel or iron sheet.