AU2006100594A4

AU2006100594A4 - System for protecting structures in high winds

Info

Publication number: AU2006100594A4
Application number: AU2006100594A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Walter Beinssen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-07-17
Filing date: 2006-07-17
Publication date: 2006-08-17
Anticipated expiration: 2014-07-17

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 SPECIFICATION FOR INNOVATION PATENT SYSTEM FOR PROTECTING STRUCTURES DURING HIGH WINDS The following statement is a description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me.

SYSTEM FOR PROTECTING STRUCTURES IN HIGH WINDS There are still many buildings in tropical and subtropical areas which would suffer serious damage in strong cyclonic winds. The damage is usually caused by an increase in internal pressure and a decrease in pressure above the building. These forces combine to cause the roof cladding and then the ceiling to be lifted off. Flying debris can also cause damage.

The walls of some buildings may not be adequately braced.

The purpose of this innovation is to minimise damage from the above mentioned causes.

The innovation consists of three components: the anchor point A, the fly B and the tie C.

A. The Anchor Point. This is a metal spike or tube driven or concreted into the ground at a distance from the side of the building. A short length of chain is attached to the top.

The anchor point is set so that its top is a few centimetres below the surface of the surrounding soil. This allows the chain to be readily brought to the surface when a cyclone emergency threatens, but prevents its being evident at other times.

B. The Fly. This is a rectangular piece of open mesh woven material, the edges of which are reinforced by folding as shown in the drawings and by stitching. The ratio of the sides is in the order of 15 to 1. The long sides are provided with slots which go through all thicknesses of the folded material. They are set at regular intervals equal to the distance between the slots when measured along the short sides. The slots are large enough for a man's arm to pass through. The flies are symmetrical in two dimensions.

C. The Tie. This a length of woven or knitted tape. One end is fitted with a metal ring whose diameter is slightly smaller than the slots on the edges of the fly, so that it can easily be passed through. The other end of the tie is fitted with a transverse peg of metal or some other strong material. Ties are used for joining flies to one another, long edge to long edge or short edge to long edge or short edge to short edge. The flies can thus be joined and extended in two directions. Ties are also used at the anchor points and at the lower ends of the flies. The flies, passed over the building, can now be connected to the anchor points by lacing through the rings.

The effect of this arrangement is that the structure is tied down to a number of additional anchors in the ground which will take up most of the forces generated by the wind. Thus the internal pressure will be decreased and the external suction will be taken up and transferred to the ground by the flies. The downward thrust of the flies and frictional forces will also help to brace the building. Vertical surfaces of the building will be given protection from damage by flying debris and rain.

Any parts (such as roofing iron) of a building which may come loose during the storm will be retained by the flies, thus preventing damage to other structures in the area.

The system does not restrict access to buildings. All components can be reused at another place and time.

Claims

1. A method of folding an open-weave mesh material along its warp, thereby multiplying its strength along two edges while leaving a panel of single layer mesh between those edges.

2. A method of interleaving the said folded edges on adjoining panels and connecting the panels by lacing them together through slots.

3 A joining tape with a ring at one end and a transverse peg or toggle at the other end, the tape being of sufficient length to pass through three slots in the edge of the material described in paragraph 1. above, using figure-of-eight lacing.

4. A method of lacing the joining tape described in paragraph 3 above, to provide a connection point at the ends of the material described in paragraph 1 above. A system of combining the articles and methods described in paragraphs 1 to 4 to create a membrane of variable size and configuration, made up of parts which are light enough for one person to carry and handle on a roof. Walter Beinssen