GB777237A - Structural units and structures made from them - Google Patents

Abstract

777,237. Arched roof structures; structural units. DALE, T. S. S. Dec. 11, 1953 [Sept. 12, 1952; April 24, 1953], Nos. 22961/52 and 11352/53. Classes 20(4) and 87(1) A structural unit for forming arched roof structures comprises a resilient member with an attached panel 4 maintained in a stressed bowed condition and having supports 1 for holding the ends of the resilient member in a raised position with the ends lying at a predetermined angle to the support (but not in line), the base of the support being hingedly secured to foundation supports 9 fixed to the ground by spikes 12. Each support has at its upper end a triangular frame 7 hinged to the support and providing an upper member 2 to which an end of the resilient member is secured. The frames 7 and foundation supports 9 are hinged to the supports 1 in such a way that a series of the supports 1 and resilient members and panels 4 for a structure may be laid in position substantially flat, the resilient members bowed and secured to the members 2 and the supports 1 pulled into a vertical position and locked to the members 9 which are then secured to the ground. The resilient members 3 may be secured to the members 2 as shown in Fig. 9 by brackets 21 secured to the resilient members and engaging over shoulders 22 on the members 2. The resilient members and the panels 4 need not be continuous throughout the span and may comprise several component parts joined by suitable joints. The panels may consist of solid sheets of material stiffened if necessary or alternatively as shown in Fig. 10 the panels may be a double skin structure, the resilient members 3 being recessed to receive skins 4a and 4b, cover plates 24 and 24a being provided to cover the joints. In a modification the panels may be secured to the members 2 of the supports 1 and not directly to the resilient members. In this case the panels 4 have edge to edge joints along their length as shown in Fig. 11 in which an H-section jointing member is employed. When the panels 4 comprise several components suitable continuity joints are shown in Figs. 12 and 13, flanged connecting members with parts adapted to provide an overlapping joint being secured to the ends of two adjacent components. In Fig. 14 the panels 4 have a metal facing 44 and are scarf-jointed and overlapped by jointing pieces 45 and 46 and capped by metal sleeving 47 and 48. An additional cover member 49 may be provided. Component parts of a resilient member may be joined by a ridge hinge 90 as shown in Fig. 16. For transport and storage purposes the hinge pin 95 may be removed and the components separated. Specifications 777,238 and 777,229 are referred to.