Wall module with connection device

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to connection of wall modules for a multistorey building.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

It is known to utilize prefabricated building elements at the building of multistorey buildings. With prefabricated building element is usually meant a part of the building system which is manufactured in a factory and is transported to the building site in order to be erected to a building together with parts built on site. The different modules are connected together on site to a completed building. It is important that the modules can be joined in such a way that the requirements of the building statics are fulfilled and that the mutual relationship between the mod¬ ules is such that the desired accuracy in dimensions is obtained in the building, and that joints between modules are minimized.

It is known to build multistorey buildings with prefabricated modules which have been completed in a factory. The modules are often so called volume modules comprising floor, walls and roof. The volume modules can be completed with a frame of any one of a large number of different materials such as wood, metal and concrete. The volume modules can be connected in any one of a plurality of different ways.

The Swedish patent SE 521 286 describes a building system comprising prefabricated volume modules of thin sheet profiles, which are put together to a building with sufficient strength in order to take up horizontal forces, wind forces, vertical forces as well as live load and dead weight. This strength is achieved by

the modules being carried by a load bearing frame of site built pillars and by the thin sheet modules being provided with robust frame edge girders, which each extends along an upper gable edge of the volume module and which on one hand are linearly connected with frame edge girders of adjacent modules in the same floor, and on the other hand are connected to the pillars so that the horizontal position of the frame edge girders in rela¬ tion to the pillars is fixed. Large efforts are required at the building site in order to achieve the load bearing frame. Fur- thermore, transports of the bulky volume modules are cumber¬ some as they often require special transports.

An alternative to building with prefabricated volume modules is building using prefabricated wall modules and floor modules. Prefabricated wall modules takes up considerably less space than volume modules and are thereby easier to transport from the factory to the building site. Here it should be noted that prefabricated wall modules according to the prior art require more or less supplementary work in connection to mounting and completion of the building. Especially, extensive work is re¬ quired in order to achieve sufficient accuracy in dimensions of the building. Further, in connection with building with modules of concrete, supplementary concrete casting is often required in order to connect components and modules with each other.

SE 0 751 262 describes a solution for erecting high-rise build¬ ings comprising premanufactured wall elements which are to fulfil the requirements of the building statics. The wall elements comprises length adjustable level means embedded in the lower edge surface and protruding reinforcement at the bottom and the top which may be connected to adjacent similar wall elements and be joined with concrete cast at site. The embedded level means are to secure that a sufficiently large slit is provided be¬ tween the lower edge surface of the wall element and its sup- porting surface, in order to alleviate the connection of the pro¬ truding reinforcement to that of the existing building element ar-

ranged underneath and that there is sufficient space for filling this connection area with for example concrete cast at site. A disadvantage with this method is that is requires extensive work at the building site in order to connect the wall elements.

A problem when building multistorey buildings with prefabricated wall modules is, as indicated above, that it is very difficult to achieve sufficient accuracy in dimensions of the separate wall modules so that the need for fixings and additions can be mini- mized. As has been mentioned above it is desirable to connect wall modules so that forces can be transferred between the wall modules and so that they receive correct mutual positions. It is a general desire that the prefabricated building elements are posi¬ tioned with very high accuracy in relation to each other in order to achieve high accuracy in dimensions of the completed multistorey building. Common for the known techniques, which use some form of prefabricated wall modules, is that it is difficult to achieve the required accuracy in dimensions of the prefabri¬ cated elements and thereby also of the completed multistorey building. Therefore, extensive manual adjustment and comple¬ tion of the prefabricated modules in relation to each other is re¬ quired in order to achieve the required accuracy in dimensions of the building, i.e. the solutions according to the prior art re¬ quires extensive work at the building site in order to achieve a completed building as an end result.

The Swedish patent application 0200850-6 shows a wall element comprising two at a distance from each other arranged wall plates and a cavity between these intended for filling with con- crete when the concrete element is arranged at the desired po¬ sition in a building. The wall elements require work at the build¬ ing site in order to achieve a completed building.

In the Swedish patent application 0001633-8 a method of erect- ing system buildings in isolating concrete by using massive wall blocks and hollow cantilever floor/roofblocks of concrete for the

creation of open inner rooms, which may freely be divided with non-load-bearing walls. The blocks are oriented in position in connection with piling on or next to each other using a notch and tenon whereupon joining is performed.

SUMMERY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a wall module with a connection device, which allows assembly of the wall modules to a multistorey building and whose high accuracy in dimensions and geometrical design results in as little supple¬ mentary work as possible.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a load bearing prefabricated wall module with a connection device which allows transfer of forces between adjacent wall modules in the horizontal direction as well as in the vertical direction.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a wall module, which allows for assembly of the wall modules to a sta¬ ble multistorey building and which in itself has a high accuracy in dimensions and comprises all components which are neces¬ sary for any adjustment of the wall modules with respect to the position of these in the multistorey building.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wall module with a connection device that in itself comprises means for final po¬ sitioning of the wall module as well as horizontally and vertically adjacent wall modules.

The object is achieved with a wall module according to the ap¬ pended independent claims.

The basic idea with the invention is to provide wall modules which have connection devices for connection of wall modules in the vertical direction as well as in the horizontal direction. Dur-

ing assembly of wall modules to a multistorey building it is es¬ sential to accomplish a staticly working frame system. This is achieved according to the invention with two types of connection devices. The connections within a floor are intended to distribute horizontal forces within the entire building or parts of the build¬ ing and to take up the vertical and horizontal loads which may occur at accidents such as if an underlying wall collapses. The connections between walls on different floors are intended to transfer forces down to the foundation.

According to a first aspect of the invention a wall module for a multistorey building is provided comprising reinforced concrete. The wall module extends essentially parallelly with a centre plane and has two parallel main sides which are parallel to the centre plane, two short sides, an upper side and an underside. The wall module comprises a first type of vertical connection device on the upper side of the wall module and a second type of vertical connection device on the underside of the wall mod¬ ule, wherein the first type of vertical connection device is con- nectable with the second type of vertical connection device. The wall module also comprises one of a first type of horizontal con¬ nection device and a second type of horizontal connection de¬ vice, wherein the first type of horizontal connection device is connectable with the second type of horizontal connection de- vice, which horizontal connection devices are arranged for con¬ nection of two wall modules arranged adjacent to each other. The wall module is characterized in that at least one of the first type of vertical connection device and the second type of verti¬ cal connection device is movable parallelly with the upper side in relation to the wall module.

With such horizontal connection devices and vertical connection devices wall modules may be connected in a simple and efficient way, so that a multistorey building with high stability and accu- racy in dimensions is achieved. During connection a possible adjustment of the positions of the vertical connection devices

may be performed, before connection of the wall modules, by means of the components which are included in the wall mod¬ ules. No other supplemental work or material, for example con¬ crete, is required. This is in contrast to wall modules according to the prior art where the wall modules have been attached at the building site using extra components, for example loose fit¬ tings or site moulding of concrete.

Especially by the vertical connection device of the first type be- ing movable in this way, exact positioning in advance of the ver¬ tical connection devices on the wall module, on which they are arranged, is made possible if required. Thereby, it is possible to create an exactly desired position for the wall module that is to be placed on top of said wall module. Thus, it is possible with a simple positioning at the building site, without adding of further components and material, to hinder systematic errors, for exam¬ ple addition of possible measurement deviations, and to easily achieve high accuracy in dimensions of multistorey buildings which are produced by assembly of premanufactured building elements. Preferably, the movable vertical connection device may be movable along the centre plane. It is also possible to let the movable vertical connection device be movable perpendicu¬ lar to the centre plane.

According to a further embodiment of the invention the movable vertical connection device is lockable in relation to the wall module by means of a tightening device which acts with a force on the movable vertical connection device against the wall mod¬ ule. With such a tightening device the vertical connection device may thus be kept fixed or locked against the upper side or pos¬ sibly the underside. The vertical connection device may then be moved only after loosening of the tightening device.

According to a further embodiment of the invention the wall module comprises a first surface with grooves and a second surface with grooves, wherein the first surface is parallel to the

second surface and wherein the grooves on the first surface are perpendicular to the grooves on the second surface. When the upper side of the wall module comprises such surfaces, the wall module preferably comprises vertical connection devices which interact with the grooved surfaces. The movable vertical con¬ nection device may thereby comprise a plate which comprises a first plate surface with grooves which is arranged on the first surface and a second plate surface with grooves which is ar¬ ranged on the second surface, wherein the first plate surface is parallel to the second plate surface and wherein the grooves on the first plate surface are perpendicular to the grooves on the second plate surface. This combination of grooves allows the movable vertical connection device to be moved in a controlled way in relation to the wall module and that it becomes possible to transfer large forces between the surfaces. Movement of this vertical connection device in relation to the wall module is made in discrete steps with a step length which corresponds to the distance between adjacent grooves. If the grooves are combined with the tightening device as described above the movable verti- cal connection device will be fixed in relation to the wall module when the tightening device acts with a force downwards towards the upper side of the wall module.

According to a further embodiment of the invention the first type of vertical connection device may comprise a protrusion and the second type of vertical connection device may comprise a re¬ cess which is arranged for reception of the protrusion. The pro¬ trusion may have any one of a large number of different forms.

Preferably, one of the vertical connection devices of the second type on a wall module has a recess with a cross-sectional shape which corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the vertical connection devices of the first type, while the other vertical con¬ nection devices of the second type on a wall module have re- cesses which are more elongated than the cross-sectional shape of the vertical connection devices of the first type. By ar-

ranging the long axis of the recesses along the wall module not as high tolerances regarding the distance between the vertical connections devices of the first type are required but smaller deviations, which cannot be eliminated, may be tolerated. Said deviations in distance may for example be due to temperature differences between different wall modules.

The protrusion may comprise a conical part. With a conical part a more simple assembly of the wall modules is achieved as the conical part then does not have to be centred in relation to the recess when the wall modules are assembled. When the conical part gets in contact with the recess they will automatically be centred in relation to each other. Preferably, the conical part may have the form of a truncated cone. Furthermore, the conical part may have symmetry axis, wherein the symmetry axis forms an acute angle with the conical part.

According to a further embodiment of the invention the first type of vertical connection device comprises a cylindrical part be- tween the conical part and the upper side of the wall module, which cylindrical part has a common symmetry axis with the conical part. With such a cylindrical part a larger possible con¬ tact surface between the first type of vertical connection device and the second type of vertical connection device is provided. The first type of vertical connection device can be attached in the wall module in many different ways. In case it is fastened by means of a tightening device the first type of vertical connection device may have a through going hole which extends essentially along the symmetry axis. The through going hole may be used to attach the first type of vertical connection device in the wall module by means of a fastening device which runs through the through going hole.

According to a further embodiment of the invention the second type of vertical connection device comprises a plate with a cover, wherein the recess is comprised of a through going hole

in the plate and the inside of the cover. By means of the cover place is reserved for the first type of vertical connection device.

During connection of wall modules the inclination of the wall module is adjusted using the horizontal connection device after the wall module has been put on place on the vertical connec¬ tion devices. This means that the crane which is used to lift the wall modules on place may be liberated directly when the wall module is lifted on place on the vertical connection devices and the horizontal connection device has been fastened so far that only adjustments are possible.

According to an embodiment of the invention the horizontal con¬ nection device has the function to transfer forces in all direc- tions between wall modules.

According to a further embodiment of the invention the first type of horizontal connection device comprises a loop with a threaded hole which runs parallelly with the short side and the second type of horizontal connection device comprises a loop with a hole which runs parallelly with the short side, which are intended to be connected with a bar. Preferably, the first type of horizontal connection device may comprise a threaded hole which has an inner diameter being smaller than the inner di- ameter of the hole of the second type of horizontal connection device. With such horizontal connection devices it is possible to adjust the relative positions of the horizontal connection de¬ vices. They are suitably connected by a bolt being arranged through the hole in the second type of horizontal connection de- vice and being screwed into the first type of horizontal connec¬ tion device. The bolt is then fixed in relation to the second type of horizontal connection device by nuts, that are screwed on the bolt, being fastened in towards the second type of horizontal connection device from both sides.

According to a further embodiment of the invention the wall module has an upper part which has a width perpendicularly to the centre plane and which extends along the upper side, and a main part below the upper part, which main part has a width which extends perpendicularly to the centre plane and which is larger than the width of the upper part. If the wall module has such an upper part a shelf is provided between the main part and the upper part, on which shelf a floorcontruction may rest. Further, the wall module may have a lower part which extends along the under side and which has a width which extends per¬ pendicularly to the centre plane and which is less than the width of the main part. By the wall module having such a lower part it is adapted to be placed on top of a similar wall module, wherein a floor structure may be arranged on said shelf against the up- per part on the lower wall module and against the lower part of the upper wall module. Preferably, the horizontal connection de¬ vices may be arranged on the upper part and the lower part.

According to a further embodiment of the invention the wall module comprises an inner support element. With such a sup¬ port element the tolerances at the production of the wall module be kept in a simple way. The wall module may thus be produced with a high accuracy in dimensions to a lower cost than what otherwise would have been possible. Preferably, said horizontal connection device may be arranged on the support element. Furthermore, the vertical connection devices may be fixed at¬ tached to the support element.

According to a second aspect of the invention the wall module for a multistorey building comprising a connection device and reinforced concrete is provided. The wall module extends es¬ sentially parallel to a centre plane, and has two parallel main sides which are parallel to the centre plane, two short sides, an upper side and an underside. The wall module is characterized in that the connection device comprises a first type of vertical connection device on the upper side of the wall module and a

second type of vertical connection device on the underside of the wall module, wherein the first type of vertical connection de¬ vice is connectable with the second type of vertical connection device, and at least one of a first type of horizontal connection device and a second type of horizontal connection device, wherein the first type of horizontal connection device is con¬ nectable with the second type of horizontal connection device, which horizontal connection devices are arranged for connection of two adjacent wall modules.

A wall module according to this second aspect of the invention may be combined with any one of the features that have been described in connection with the first aspect of the invention.

The object is also fulfilled with a multistorey building which comprises a plurality of wall modules according to the above de¬ scription.

Further, the object is provided with the connection device which is defined in claim 27.

The different features that have been described above may of course be combined in the same embodiment where so is appli¬ cable. In the following preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the appended drawings.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 shows schematically a part of a floor in a multistorey building where wall modules according to an embodiment of the invention have been used.

Fig. 2a-2b shows in larger detail a wall module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 shows in larger detail the wall module in fig. 2a in cross- section.

Fig. 4 shows a detail of the upper part on the wall module in fig. 2a with a horizontal connection device and a first type of vertical connection device.

Fig. 5a-5c shows in larger detail a first type of horizontal con¬ nection device.

Fig. 6a-6c shows in larger detail a second type of horizontal connection device.

Fig. 7a-7e shows in larger detail a first type of vertical connec- tion device which is arranged to be adjustable in relation to a fastening plate.

Fig. 8a-8d shows in larger detail a fastening plate for reception of the vertical connection device in fig. 7.

Fig. 9a-9e shows a second type of vertical connection device in the form of a case with the recess.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the following description of preferred embodiments of the in¬ vention similar details in the different figures will be denoted with the same reference numeral.

Fig. 1 shows schematically a part of a floor 1 in a multistorey building where wall modules 2 according to an embodiment of the invention have been used to constitute interior walls 3 and external walls 4. All or essentially all walls 3, 4 are load bearing. The wall modules 2 stand on one or more underlying wall mod- ules 2 or a foundation (not shown). Each wall module 2 has two short sides 6, an upper side 7 and an underside 8, as is evident

more clearly from fig. 2-4. Each one of the wall modules 2 is at the upper side at both short sides 6, attached to at least one adjacent wall module 2. In some cases the wall modules 2 are attached to another wall module 2 at the upper side 7 between the short sides 6.

Fig. 2a shows in larger detail a wall module 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The wall module 2 has two short sides 6, an upper side 7 and an underside 8. As is evident from fig. 2 the wall module 2 has an upper part 9 which extends along the upper side 7, the lower part 10 which extends along the underside 8 and a main part 1 1 which is arranged between the upper part 9 and the lower part 10. The two main sides 12 which are defined by the short sides 6, the upper side 7 and the underside 8 defines in turn a centre plane which is parallel to the main sides 12. The perpendicular 13 to the centre plane is shown in fig.2a, 2b. The wall module 2 in fig. 2a is provided with a door 14 which extends through a passage in a part of the main part 1 1 from the boundary between the lower part 10 and the main part 1 1 .

Fig. 2b shows another wall module 2 which, in contrast to the wall module 2 in fig. 2a, in the main part 1 1 is provided with a window 15 and on the outside is provided with a facing 60 which comprises an insulation. As is evident from fig. 2a as well as fig. 2b the thickness of the wall module along the perpendicular 13 is equal in the upper part 9 and the lower part 10 and smaller than the thickness of the wall module 2 along the perpendicular 13 in the main part 1 1. In the boundary between the main part 1 1 and the upper part 10 there is therefore a shelf 72 on which it is possible to arrange a floor structure 75 which can be carried by the wall module 2 together with other wall modules 2. In the upper part 9 of the wall module 2 there is arranged a first type of vertical connection device in the form of a protrusion 16. The wall module 2 has a length axis 61 which extends parallelly with the centre plane, the upper side 7 and the underside 8. In the

embodiment shown in fig. 2a and 2b the centre plane extends perpendicularly to the short sides 6. It should, however, be noted that the short sides 6 also could extend parallelly to a plane which forms an angle with the centre plane.

On the upper part 9 of the wall module 2 there is arranged an upper sealing strip 74, which is arranged to seal against a floor structure 75 which is arranged against the upper part 9. It is of course also possible to arrange a sealing strip on the floor structure 75. A corresponding lower sealing strip 74 is arranged on the lower part 10 of the wall module 2 in order to seal against another floor structure 75 which is arranged against the lower part 10. Further, a sealing strip 74 may be arranged on one or both of the short sides 6. The upper part 9 and/or the lower part 10 may comprise means for lifting and transport of the wall module 2. Such means will be hidden by the floor structure 75 after mounting.

Fig. 3 shows in larger detail the wall module in fig. 2 in cross- section. The wall module has a length axis 61 and a height axis 62, which extends parallelly with the centre plane perpendicu¬ larly to the lengths axis 61. The wall module 2 has an inner sup¬ port element which in the shown embodiment extends through the wall module 2 from the upper side 7 to the underside 8. It is of course possible to omit the support element or to let it extend only through a part of the wall module 2. The support element comprises a first pillar 17 and a second pillar 18 which each extends from the underside 8 of the wall module 2 to the upper side 7 of the wall module 2. The support element also comprises a reinforcement 19, which extends between and is attached to the first pillar 17 and the second pillar 18. The support element, i.e. the pillars 17, 18 and the reinforcement 19 may be manu¬ factured from metal, such as steel, or any other suitable mate¬ rial, for example a fibre material.

The wall module 2 comprises an essentially mechanical connec¬ tion device, including essentially mechanical vertical connection devices 16, 20 and essentially mechanical horizontal connection devices 29, 30. The mechanical connection device shall be ex- plained in more detail in the following. On the upper side of each one of the metal pillars 17, 18 is the above described protrusion 16, which forms the first type of vertical connection device, ar¬ ranged. In the shown embodiment the protrusion 16 has the form of the cone. The second type of vertical connection device 20 comprises a case with a recess, which is arranged inserted in the pillar 17, 18 and will be described in larger detail below. The first type of vertical connection device 16 is arranged to be con¬ nected to the second type of vertical connection device 20 which is arranged on the underside 8 of another wall module 2. The vertical connection devices 16, 20 prevent, when they are con¬ nected, movement between the wall modules 2 in the direction of the perpendicular 13 of the centre plane and in the direction of the length axis 61. As is indicated in fig. 2a, 2b and 3 the length of the upper part 9 along the length axis 61 is equal to the length of the lower part 10 along the length axis 61. The length of the upper part 9 and the length of the lower part 10 is smaller than the length of the main part 1 1 along the length axis 61 . In the upper part 9 on the short side 6 of the first pillar 17 there is arranged a first type of horizontal connection device 29, wherein a second type of horizontal connection device 30 is ar¬ ranged on the short side 6 of an adjacent wall module 2 some¬ what displaced vertically. The first type of horizontal connection device 29 is designed to allow connection with the second type of horizontal connection device 30 for connection of adjacent wall modules 2 in the multistorey building. The different connec¬ tion devices 16, 20, 29 and 30 are ail arranged in such a way and in such a position that they will be hidden by the floor structure 75 after mounting of the wall modules 2.

Fig. 4 shows parts of two wall modules 2 which are connected with a first type of horizontal connection device 29 in the form of

a first loop and a second type of horizontal connection device 30 in the form of a second loop. A bolt 31 is screwed into a threaded hole, not shown in fig. 4, in the first loop 29 and runs through a hole, not shown in fig. 4, in the second loop 30. The bolt 31 is attached to the second loop 30 by a first nut 32 and a second nut 33 being screwed onto the bolt 31 tightened against the second loop 30. In fig. 4 a tightening device 89, which is used to tighten the first type of vertical connection device 16 in the wall module 2, is also shown schematically.

Fig. 5a-5c shows in larger detail the first type of loop 29, which in the shown embodiment has a somewhat concave surface 34 which is intended to be arranged against the wall module 2. The surface 34 may of course also have other forms. It is also possi- ble to let the loop 29 be attached to the wall module 2 in dis¬ crete points. Preferably the first type of loop 29 is welded to the wall module 2, but there are of course other ways of attaching the first type of loop 29 in the wall module 2. The first type of loop 29 has a back surface which is intended to be welded to the wall module 2. This back surface may, advantageously, comprise a concave surface 34 which extends between two par¬ allel plane surface parts 38 which borders on the edges of the back surface. The first type of loop 29 has a threaded hole 35. In fig. 5a-5c the hole 35 is shown as a non-through going hole, but it is of course possible to arrange the hole 35 as a through going hole. The thread 36 in the hole 35 has an inner diameter and an outer diameter. The inner diameter of the thread is smaller than the outer diameter of the bolt 31 which is intended to be screwed into the hole 35, and which is shown in fig. 4. Fig. 5a and 5b are side views of the loop 29 while fig. 5c is a per¬ spective view of the loop 29.

Fig. 6a-6c shows the second type of loop 30 which is intended to be connected with the first type of loop 29 by means of a bolt 31. The second type of loop 30 has, in a corresponding way to the first type of loop 29, a back surface with a concave surface

37 and plane outer parts 48. The back surface is intended for arranging the second type of loop 30 on the wall module 2. In the same way as for the first type of loop 29 may also the sur¬ face 37 on the second type of loop 30 have other forms. Pref- erably, the second type of loop is welded onto a metal pillar 17, 18 in the wall module 2, but there are also other ways for at¬ tachment of the second type of loop 30 in the wall module. A through going hole 66 runs through the second type of loop 30 for reception of the bolt 31 which is shown in fig. 4. Fig. 6a and 6b are side views of the second type of loop 30 while fig. 6c is a perspective view of the second type of loop 30.

Other ways of arranging the first type of loop 29 and the second type of loop 30 in the wall module 2 may apart from welding comprise all other known ways for attachment, including gluing, nailing and screwing.

Fig. 7 shows a cone 16 which comprises the first type of vertical connection device. The cone 16 has a cylindrical lower part 85 which is arranged on the plate 69 and a conical upper part 86 which is arranged on the cylindrical lower part 85. The conical upper part 86 has a circumferential surface which is essentially circular symmetric around the symmetry axis 87. The circumfer¬ ential surface forms an acute angle 67 with the symmetry axis 87. The plate 69 has on its distal side to the cylindrical lower part 85 a first plate surface 39 with grooves 40 and a second plate surface 41 with grooves 42, wherein the first plate surface 39 is parallel to the second plate surface 41 and wherein the grooves 40 on the first plate surface 39 are perpendicular to the grooves 42 on the second plate surface 41. The first plate sur¬ face 39 is arranged at a distance from the second plate surface 41. A third plate surface 43 with grooves 44 is arranged in the same plane as the first plate surface 39, wherein the grooves 40 on the first plate surface 39 are parallel to the grooves 44 on the third plate surface 43. In fig. 7a, 7b and 7c side views of the cone 16 are shown, while fig. 7d is a perspective view of the

cone 16. Fig. 7e is a partial magnification of section A in fig. 7b and shows the grooves 40, 42, 44. The grooves have a symmet¬ rical sawtooth pattern with a period 70 of 0.5-5 mm. Between the grooves is an angle 72 which in the shown embodiment is 90° but which of course may be different. A through going hole 88 which extends parallelly to the symmetry axis 87 is used to tighten the first type of vertical connection device 16 in the wall module using the above mentioned tightening device 89.

In fig. 8 a fastening plate 50 is shown, which comprises a first surface 45 with grooves 46 and a second surface 47 with grooves 48, wherein the first surface 45 is parallel to the second surface 47 and wherein the grooves 46 on the first surface 45 are perpendicular to the grooves 48 on the second surface 47. The first surface 45 is arranged at a distance from the second surface 47. The fastening plate 50 also has a third surface 51 with grooves 52, which third surface 51 is arranged in the same plane as the first surface 45 and with the grooves 52 on the third surface 51 being parallel to the grooves 46 on the first surface 45. The fastening plate 50 is intended to be attached to the up¬ per side of the wall module 2, for example by welding, in a pillar 17, 18. The fastening plate 50 has a through going hole 54. Fig. 8a, 8b and 8c shows side views of the fastening plate 50, while fig. 8d is a perspective view of the fastening plate 50.

The cone 16 with the plate surfaces 39, 41 , 43 is arranged for cooperation with the surfaces 45, 47, 51 on the fastening plate 50. Thus, the position of the cone 16 in relation to the fastening plate 50 may change by choosing which of the grooves 46, 48, 52 of the fastening plate 50 that are to be in contact with the grooves 40, 42, 44 of the plate surfaces 39, 41 , 43.

In the shown embodiment the tightening device 89 comprises a bolt which extends through the through going hole 88 in the cone 16 and the through going hole 54 in the fastening plate 50.

The bolt is screwed in a nut which is arranged under the fas-

tening plate. One of the through going hole 54 in the fastening plate 50 and the through going hole 88 in the cone 16 has a di¬ ameter which is larger than the diameter of the bolt. Thereby, the position of the cone 16 may be displaced in relation to the fastening plate 50 in a horizontal plane.

In fig. 9a-9d the second type of vertical connection device 20, in the form of a case 20 with a recess 55, is shown. Preferably, the cases in a wall module has two different kinds of recesses. One of the cases 91 in a wall module 2 has a recess 90 with circular form, as is shown in fig. 9d, while the other cases 20 in a wall module 2 have recesses 55 with an elongated form. The cases 20 with recesses 55 with elongated form are placed with the long axis of the recess 55 along the wall module 2. By one of the cases 91 having a recess 90 with circular form the first type of vertical connection device 16, and thereby the wall module 2 on which the vertical connection device 16 is arranged, will not be able to move in relation to the case 91. By the other cases having recesses 55 with an elongated form the distance be- tween the vertical connection devices 16 of the first type will be allowed to deviate somewhat from a nominal value. Deviations from a nominal value may depend on temperature variations and manufacturing tolerances. The case 20 has a plate 56 with a support surface 57 which is arranged to be in contact with the plate 39 on the cone when the case 20 is connected to the cone 16. On the plate there is arranged a cover 58 which surrounds the recess 55. The plate 56 has in the shown embodiment a flange 59. The case 20 is arranged with the cover 58 within the pillars with the flange in contact with the pillar. In fig. 9a and 9b side views of the case 20 are shown, while fig. 9c is a perspec¬ tive view of the case 20. At least the part of the recess 55 which is closest to the support surface 57 is arranged to be in contact with the cone 16 when the cone 16 is connected with the case 20, by the cylindrical part of the cone 16 having essentially the same outer diameter as the inner diameter of the recess closest to the support surface 57. Thereby, a connection between the

cone 16 and the case perpendicular to the symmetry axis 87 of the cone 16 is achieved. The cover 58 results in that concrete may be arranged between the cover 58 and the pillar 17, 18 when the case 20 is arranged within a pillar 17, 18. The recess 55 is somewhat elongated in one direction. The recess has the form of two half circles 80 with straight parts in between. The straight parts define a hole axis 82 which is arranged parallel to the length axis 61 of the wall module. The straight parts 81 pro¬ vides for larger tolerances during assembly of the case 20 with a cone 16. A case 91 with a recess 90 with circular form is shown in another scale schematically in fig. 9d, which case otherwise corresponds to the case in fig. 9a-9c.

In connection with connection of wall modules 2 and the inser- tion of the cone 16 in the case 20, especially the case 20 with an elongated recess 55, it is possible to arrange a hardening mass in the recess 55, for example, some polymer. Thereby, a power transfer is secured in the lengthwise direction between the wall modules 2 also in the case 20 with an elongated recess 55. Which such a hardening mass a locking in the vertical direc¬ tion may also be achieved between the wall modules 2. Such a locking in the vertical direction may also be achieved in other ways with different types of mechanical means.

The invention is not limited to the above described embodiments of the present invention. The man skilled in the art may modify the above described embodiments in many ways without de¬ parting from the scope of the invention which is only limited by the appended claims.

It is of course possible to use other types of horizontal connec¬ tion devices and vertical connection devices than the ones that have been described above in connection with the description of the preferred embodiments of the invention. The horizontal con- nection devices and the vertical connection devices may be of some other material than metal. It is of course possible to have

other forms on the cone and the case than what has been shown in the embodiments above.