Clevis Joint Beam Lifting for Rapid Building Construction

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing rapid building construction techniques fail to balance speed with durability, particularly in military and civilian applications where buildings need to be erected quickly while maintaining structural integrity.

Innovation Solution

The method involves using primary support beams with clevis joints that can rotate when connected by a single connector, allowing for sequential lifting and interlocking of beams to form a sturdy frame, with additional beams and cross-beams added to reinforce the structure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If pre-fabricated parts are assembled at construction site, then construction speed is improved, but structural durability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconstruction speedVSAvoidstructural durability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The building structure is divided into modular pre-fabricated beams that can be independently manufactured and then assembled at the construction site. Each beam segment maintains structural integrity through standardized clevis joint connections, enabling rapid assembly while preserving durability through controlled segmentation rather than compromising weak individual components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Beam components are pre-assembled and pre-positioned on the ground in a planned sequence before final elevation. The sequential lifting and interlocking process allows beams to be prepared in advance and connected in a predetermined order, maintaining structural coherence while accelerating the overall construction process through advance preparation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Strength

If beams are connected with multiple connectors, then structural integrity is improved, but construction time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidconstruction time

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The clevis joint components are pre-positioned and aligned on the ground before lifting operations begin. This preliminary arrangement ensures that when beams are sequentially lifted and interlocked, the connectors engage automatically in the correct sequence without requiring multiple separate connection operations, thereby maintaining structural integrity while minimizing connection time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The sequential lifting mechanism allows multiple beam connections to be executed in rapid succession through a single continuous lifting motion. Rather than connecting each beam pair separately with multiple connectors, the system rushes through the connection process by lifting adjacent beams simultaneously until they interlock, significantly reducing the number of discrete connection operations required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

Data Source

PatentUS20210123228A1Method and Devices Enabling Rapid Construction of Buildings

Publication Date: 2021.04.29 OVERFLOW LTD

AI summary

A method including placing on a surface a first beam having a first end with a first clevis component opposing a second clevis component. A second beam, including a second end having a third clevis component opposing a fourth clevis component, is placed adjacent the first end on the surface. The first clevis component is connected to the third clevis component. A lifter is connected to the first end and the second end, which are lifted simultaneously from the surface while rotating the first beam and the second beam about the connector until the second clevis component engages the fourth clevis component. Connection between the second clevis component and the fourth clevis component then may be completed.