Joint for Sealing Logs of Log Type Building Structures

This invention relates to a joint for sealing juxtaposed logs arranged in parallel relation, and more particularly juxtaposed, square or rectangular logs separated by spacer blocks, as used in the fabrication of log type building structures.

In building structures made of juxtaposed logs, leaks often develop between the logs due to the twisting and shrinking of the logs as the wood dries out. Attempts have been made to overcome this problem by providing the juxtaposed logs with confronting longitudinal grooves and inserting a wooden strip in such grooves. Alternatively, one of the logs has been provided with a longitudinal tongue adapted to be inserted into a corresponding groove in the other log. However, as the logs dry out, twisting and shrinkage cause the wooden tongue to crack or break, resulting in leaks.

It has also been common practice to seal juxtaposed logs by grouting with cementeous material or by caulking. However, such joints also crack and develop leaks.

It has also been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,460,301 to join superposed logs by means of a flexible metal, or plastic strip, provided with a deformable central portion and marginal edges adapted to engage confronting grooves in the juxtaposed logs. However, this joint must be installed during the construction of the building and cannot be added to an already built house or cabin. In addition, the installation is time-consuming and expensive.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a joint which is easy to install and, in addition, may be added to an already built home or cabin.

The joint in accordance with the invention, for sealing a wall made of juxtaposed parallel logs separated by spacer blocks of narrower width than the logs and spaced from one another within the space between two juxtaposed logs, comprises a flat strip of resilient material and profiled to form a flange extending at an angle with respect to the main flat portion of the strip and spaced from said logs, said strip having opposite terminal longitudinal edge portions adapted to be snapped in confronting longitudinal grooves made in the juxtaposed logs. Said flange is free to change its angle relative to said main portion upon variations in the spacing between said logs and said opposite terminal longitudinal edge portions are biased in respective engagement with said grooves.

The joint may be installed on the inside as well as the outside face of the log wall when its inside face is also exposed.

In the strip used for the inside exposed face of the log wall, the above flange is a top flange slidably fit into a groove of predetermined depth and width, and the strip also has a bottom flange which is inwardly directed and abuts the underlying log and is preferably provided with a V-shaped terminal edge portion which permits snapping of the profiled edge of the strip into the groove of the underlying log. Of course, an opposite arrangement could also be used and the shape of the flanges may vary provided that the strip may be snapped in position.

In a preferred embodiment of the main flat portion of the invention, the width of the strip, adapted to be mounted on an outside face of the log wall, is slightly greater than the thickness of the spacer and the bottom profiled edge of the strip is first bent back to form a portion extending upwardly along the main portion before being bent to form said first-named flange, so as to permit overlapping of the edge of the strip with the bottom log to prevent water from flowing between the two logs. The bottom log is peferably milled at the corner and the bottom of the strip bears against such milled portion.

The invention will now be disclosed, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a house made of logs joined by the joint in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates an enlarged portion of a wall of the house showing the joint in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 3 illustrates a section view, taken along lines 3--3 of FIG. 2.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, there is schematically shown a house 10, the walls of which are made of juxtaposed horizontal, self-supporting logs 12 separated by several spacer blocks 14 distant one from the other and engaging the confronting faces 12a of logs 12. Insulating material 22 fills the space between and around the blocks 14 and between the logs 12. Between the outside exposed face of the wall of the house and the blocks 14, the confronting face 12a of, the top log 12 is provided with a groove 16 and the confronting face 12a of the bottom log is provided with a groove 18. Grooves 16 and 18 run substantially parallel to the exposed outer face of the logs. A strip 20, of suitable length, is secured in position in grooves 16 and 20. On the inside exposed face of the log wall, the top log is provided with a groove 24 and the bottom log with a groove 26. Grooves 24 and 26 are made in confronting faces 12a and run substantially parallel to the inside face of the log wall between said inside face and blocks 14. A strip 28, of suitable length, is secured in position in grooves 24 and 26.

Both strips 20 and 28 are generally made of flexible material, such as aluminum, steel, reinforced fiberglass or high quality rubber. The aluminum and steel strips are preferably covered with granular pre-baked paint, whereas the reinforced fiberglass and rubber strips have integrated pigments of suitable color.

Both strips are profiled inwardly at an angle with respect to the flat main portion of the strip. Strip 20 has a main flat portion 20a bridging the space between the two logs and a top outwardly curved terminal free edge portion 32 directly engaging groove 16. The main portion 20a of strip 20 is slightly wider than the thickness of spacer blocks 14 and is bent back at its lower edge 20c to form a portion 20b extending upwardly along and inwardly of main portion 20a . The bottom log 12 is milled at the corner 36 and portion 20b of the strip 20 bears against such milled portion. However, bottom edge 20c of main portion 20a is free to move up and down relative to the bottom log 12. Portion 20b extends upwardly to a higher level than confronting face 20a of the bottom log 12 and a bottom flange 34 extends from the top edge of portion 20b inwardly and downwardly towards the spacer blocks 12 and toward the confronting face 12a of the bottom block 12. Flange 34 is provided with a V-shaped terminal edge 38, which engages groove 18 and bridges the same. Flange 34 is maintained spaced from the bottom log 12 and is thus allowed to vary its angle in accordance with variations in spacing between the top and bottom logs 12. The resiliency of flange 34, not only biases the upper longitudinal edge 32 and the lower longitudinal edge 38 in constant engagement with grooves 16 and 18, respectively, but also biases bent back portion 20b against milled portion 36 of the outer face of the bottom log 12. Strip 28 has a flat main portion 28a bridging the space between the two logs and has top flange 40 bent inwardly at substantially right angle and a bottom flange 42, also bent inwardly at about right angle. The top flange 40 is adapted to slidably fit in groove 24, but is maintained spaced from the bottom of said groove by upwardly extending free edge portion 40a which abuts against the bottom of the groove. Bottom flange 42 abuts against confronting face 12a of bottom log 12 and is provided with a V-shaped terminal edge 44 which engages groove 26. Flange 40 is maintained spaced from the bottom of the groove 24 and is thus allowed to vary its angle in accordance with the variations in spacing between the top and bottom logs 12.

It is to be understood that the shape of the grooves in the logs and also of the profiled flanges of the strips 20 and 28 may vary, depending on the size and shape of the logs and also on the desired appearance of the joint. The outside strip overlaps the bottom log to permit water from flowing between two logs. The inside strip has no overlap and is more or less vertical.

The afore-described joint is installed as follows:

After isulation 22 has been placed in position, the top flange 32 of strip 20 is placed in groove 16 and the bottom of the strip pushed inwardly. The V-shaped terminal edge 38 slides over the top of the bottom log and falls into slot 18. Similarly, the top of flange 40 of strip 28 is inserted into groove 24 and the bottom of the strip pushed inwardly. The V-shaped terminal edge 44 slides over the bottom log and falls into groove 26. It is seen that the above strips 20 and 28 can be easily installed by semi-skilled personnel in a very short time. Such strips 20 and 28 are generally made in 16' lengths so as to extend the full length of the wall.

Although the invention has been disclosed with reference to a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that it is not to be limited to this embodiment but by the scope of the claims only. Indeed, the profiled flanges of the strips may vary in shape, the only requisite being that they may be snapped into place between two adjacent logs to seal the logs.