AU2021202871A1

AU2021202871A1 - Tensioned sheet wall system for a building

Info

Publication number: AU2021202871A1
Application number: AU2021202871A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Ryan Hunter; Alexander Lentowich
Original assignee: Gnb Global Inc
Current assignee: Gnb Global Inc
Priority date: 2021-05-06
Filing date: 2021-05-06
Publication date: 2022-11-24

Abstract

A wall system for forming a weather enclosure across a building opening in the frame of a building includes a flexible sheet of flexible material, a first rigid frame member secured across a first end of the flexible sheet, and a second rigid frame 5 member secured across the flexible sheet in proximity to an opposing second end of the sheet. The first rigid frame remember is fixedly mounted on the building frame. A tensioning assembly is operatively connected between the second rigid frame member and the building frame so as to apply tension in the longitudinal direction to a portion of the flexible sheet. The tensioning between rigid frame members spanning across 10 opposing ends of the sheet ensures that the sheet can be supported under significant tension throughout the sheet to enable the sheet to withstand considerable wind and precipitation loads. IC 2Cc?,7c)

Description

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TENSIONED SHEET WALL SYSTEM FOR A BUILDING FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a wall system in which flexible sheet

material is tensioned to span across the frame of a building, for example to provide a

temporary weather enclosure supported on the frame of a building while the building is

under construction, and more particularly the present invention relates to a flexible

sheet for spanning an opening in a building that also provides the function of a safety

barrier.

BACKGROUND

During the construction of large commercial buildings, it is common

practice to initially erect a building frame comprised of posts and beams and roof

trusses followed by subsequent mounting of rigid panels of various types to form

permanent walls of the building. While assembling the building frame and/or preparing

the building for mounting wall panelling onto the frame, it is often desirable to provide a

weather enclosure about the building to allow heating of the interior space of the

building. Some heating of the interior space may be required to assist in curing of

various materials such as concrete, or for comfort of construction workers within the

building space. As a temporary means of forming a weather enclosure, it is common

practice to support sheets of plastic type material directly on the building frame or on

scaffolding surrounding a building frame. The plastic material however may be required

to span large distances on large commercial buildings and the plastic material is

typically not well supported for withstanding wind loads or loads from precipitation and

the like such that the panels become torn and require replacement even during short

term use for construction.

US patents 5,613,543 by Walton and 3,805,816 by Nolte, and

W097/48863 by Nylander disclose various examples of a temporary protective covering

used in construction. In each instance however, only small sheets are provided for

spanning short distances with minimal means of retaining the sheets. Accordingly, the

coverings are not well-suited to withstand wind loads and precipitation loads in large

building applications. Furthermore, the sheets alone do not provide any significant

resistance to persons or objects falling through the building opening in the event of a

rupture of the sheet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a wall system

for spanning a building opening in a building frame of a building, the wall system

comprising:

a flexible sheet of flexible material spanning in a longitudinal direction

between opposing first and second ends and defining a width in a lateral direction

perpendicular to the longitudinal direction between opposing side edges;

a first frame member arranged to be secured to the flexible sheet in proximity to the first end of the flexible sheet so as to span the width of the flexible

sheet;

a second frame member arranged to be secured to the flexible sheet in

proximity to the second end of the flexible sheet so as to span the width of the flexible

sheet;

the first and second frame members being arranged to mount onto the

building frame in fixed relation thereto along opposing first and second sides of the

building opening such that the flexible sheet is under tension in the longitudinal direction

between the first and second frame members; and

a rigid railing member connected to the flexible sheet to extend in the lateral direction across the flexible sheet at an intermediate location between a connection of the flexible sheet to the first frame member and a connection of the flexible sheet to the second frame member.

The rigid railing member provides a safety barrier during building

construction to protect against workers falling from upper levels of a building under

construction. When the railing member is incorporated into a tensioned fabric wall

system that provides a weather enclosure, the tensioned wall fabric reinforces the

function of the railing member as a safety railing, while the railing member reinforces

the function of the tensioned sheet as a temporary wall enclosure, particularly when the

railing member and the sheet are tensioned in transverse directions relative to one

another.

The flexible sheet typically comprises a high-quality fabric material with

abrasion resistance and tear resistant properties by providing an enhanced coating on

a woven plastic fibers sheet. The flexible sheets thus offer safer building envelopes

which protect buildings and materials and equipment within the temporary building

structure from harsh and unpredictable weather.

The rigid railing member is preferably received within a pocket formed on

the flexible sheet. The pocket preferably receives the rigid railing member therein at a

location spaced from a plane of the flexible sheet.

The pocket may include a plurality of access openings formed therein at

laterally spaced apart positions in alignment with the rigid railing member such that the

rigid railing member is exposed and thus arranged to be readily grasped in a hand of a

user at each access opening.

The rigid railing member preferably receives a flexible cable extending

through the rigid railing member in the lateral direction of the flexible sheet between opposing railing mounts, the railing mounts being arranged to be supported on the building frame so as to support the flexible cable under tension in the lateral direction transversely to the longitudinal direction of the sheet.

The system may further comprise: (i) the first frame member comprising a retainer member arranged to mount onto the building frame in fixed relation thereto

along a first side of the building opening; (ii) a tensioning assembly arranged to be fixed

onto the building frame along a second side of the building opening opposite from the

first side of the building opening; and (iii) the second frame member comprising a

tension member arranged to be secured to be operatively connected to the tensioning

assembly such that the tensioning assembly is arranged to apply tension in the

longitudinal direction to a portion of the flexible sheet between the retainer member and

the tension member.

The combination of a first frame member spanning the full width at the first end of a flexible sheet together with a second frame member spanning the full width

at the second end of the sheet together with means to tension the sheet longitudinally

between the frame members ensures that the flexible sheet can be supported under

significant tension throughout the sheet in a manner that enables the sheet to withstand

considerable wind loads.

The system may further include a pocket formed on the flexible sheet extending laterally across the width of the flexible sheet and receiving the tension

member therein.

Preferably the second frame member forming the tension member is a rigid tube extending laterally across the width of the flexible sheet.

The tension member in the illustrated embodiment is secured to the flexible sheet at a mounting location spaced longitudinally inwardly from the second end of the flexible sheet so as to define an end portion of the flexible sheet extending longitudinally between the mounting location and the second end of the flexible sheet which is not tensioned by the tensioning assembly. When using multiple flexible sheets to span respective levels of a building, the end portion can span an exterior of the building enclosure from the respective upper tensioned sheet to join the top edge of a lower tensioned sheet therebelow and form a continuous weather barrier.

Preferably the end portion of the flexible sheet spans a length of the

tensioning assembly in the longitudinal direction of the flexible sheet between the

tension member and a mounting portion of the tensioning assembly that is arranged to

be secured to the building frame.

The system may further include a second retainer member comprising a

third frame member of the system that is arranged to be secured to the second end of

the flexible sheet so as to span the width of the flexible sheet and is arranged to mount

onto the building frame in fixed relation thereto along the second side of the building

opening.

When provided in combination with a second sheet arranged to be

supported longitudinally in series with the flexible sheet, the second retainer member

preferably commonly secures both the second end of the flexible sheet and a first end

of the second sheet therein.

The tensioning assembly may comprise at least one winch arranged to

be operatively connected between the building frame and the tension member. In

further embodiments, various means to adjustably secure the tension member relative

to the second side of the building opening can be used such as screw rods, turnbuckles,

pivoting linkages, buckles, and the like such that tightening and/or shortening of the

tensioning assembly between the tension member and a mounting portion on the second side of the building opening pulls the tension member towards the second side of the building opening to tension the flexible sheet.

Preferably a plurality of winches (or other adjustable coupling

mechanisms between the tension member and the second side of the building opening)

are provided at laterally spaced apart positions along the tension member.

In some instances, the flexible sheet comprises a plurality of sheet

sections releasably joined in series with one another using releasable fasteners such

that each sheet section spans a full length of the flexible sheet in the longitudinal

direction between the opposing first and second ends of the flexible sheet and only

spans a portion of the width of the flexible sheet in the lateral direction. In this instance

the tension member may comprise a single frame member spanning the width of the

flexible sheet across the plurality of sheet sections, and/or the retainer member may

comprise a single frame member spanning the width of the flexible sheet across the

plurality of sheet sections.

In further embodiments, additional flexible sheets may span laterally adjacent building openings in the building frame. In this instance, adjacent flexible

sheets can be joined at their side edges by various types of releasable fastening, for

example hook and loop fasteners, zippers, laces through grommet openings, and the

like.

The first end of the flexible sheet may comprise a bead spanning laterally

across the width of the sheet and the retainer member may comprise a channel adapted

to retain the bead therein.

When the tensioning assembly is readily releasable from the sheet, the

retainer member may comprise a track spanning the width of the sheet and supporting

one or more carriage assemblies for rolling movement in a lateral direction along the track, said one or more carriage assemblies being arranged to support the first end of the sheet thereon such that the sheet is laterally movable in the lateral direction together with rolling movement of said one or more carriage assemblies along the retainer member. The use of carriage assemblies within a track for supporting a selectively tensioned sheet across a building opening allows the building opening to be used temporarily as a doorway when the tensioning assembly is released.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various embodiments of the invention will now be described in

conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an exterior side of the wall system

according to a first embodiment;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of an interior side of the wall system

according to the first embodiment of figure 1;

Figure 3 is a partly sectional view of the top end of the flexible sheet

retained within the retainer member, showing the bottom end of an additional flexible

sheet optionally retained within the same retainer member according to the first

embodiment of figure 1;

Figure 4 is a partly sectional perspective view of the tensioning

assemblies and the railing assembly of the wall system according to the first

embodiment of figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the tensioning devices

of the flexible sheet and the tensioning mechanism for the railing assembly of the wall

system according to the first embodiment of figure 1;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of an exterior side of the wall system

according to a second embodiment;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of an interior side of the wall system

according to the second embodiment of figure 6;

Figure 8 is a partly sectional view of the top end of the flexible sheet

secured relative to the retainer member when the flexible sheet is supported for lateral

sliding movement as a temporary door; and

Figures 9 and 10 are schematic representations of the flexible sheet

according to the second embodiment of figure 6 showing the flexible sheet in closed

and open positions respectively relative to a door opening in the building, while adjacent

building openings are enclosed by a flexible sheet according to the first embodiment of

figure 1.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts

in the different figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the accompanying figures there is illustrated a fabric wall

system generally indicated by reference numeral 10. The system 10 is particularly

suited for use in forming a temporary or semi-permanent weather enclosure about the

frame 12 of a building, for example during construction of the building before rigid wall

panels are installed on the frame.

A typical commercial building frame 12 includes a plurality of posts

spaced apart along each wall of the building with each wall further including a header

spanning across the posts at the elevation of each floor and the roof of the building for

supporting floor beams and roof trusses on the headers. The posts typically extend

upwardly from a foundation which may comprise additional framing or a concrete pad

for example that forms the base of the building frame. The building frame 12 defines a

plurality of building openings in which each building opening includes a perimeter that is bound at laterally opposing sides by a respective post 14, is bound by framing or a foundation 16 at the bottom side of the opening, and is bound by a header 18 at the top side of the opening. At upper levels of the building frame, the bottom of the perimeter of each building opening is typically bound by an additional header 18.

The wall system 10 according to the present invention generally uses a flexible fabric sheet 24 spanning the building opening under tension. The fabric sheet

typically comprises a flexible material, for example plastic fibers which are woven

together and/or coated so as to define either (i) a single ply of material, or (ii) when

insulation is desired, two plies of material with additional insulating layers optionally

provided therebetween if desired. The coating provides abrasion and heat resistance, and ultraviolet resistance, while ensuring that the sheet 20 remains flexible.

The fabric sheet 24 spans in a longitudinal direction a full length of the

sheet between a first end 22 at the top end and a second end 24 at the bottom end of

the sheet. The sheet also spans in a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal

direction across a full width between two opposing side edges 26.

Each building opening may be covered by a fabric sheet 20 comprising a

single continuous sheet of material or a plurality of sheet sections 28 which are joined

together. In the illustrated embodiment, the fabric sheet 20 is formed of multiple sheet

sections 28 connected laterally in series with one another such that each sheet section

spans the full height between the top end 22 and the bottom end 24 while only spanning

a part of the width in the lateral direction between the opposing side edges 26. The

seams between adjacent sheet sections can be joined by various means including heat

welding, gluing or stitching if a permanent seam is desired, or use of hook and loop

fasteners, zippers, or laces tied through grommets and the like if it is desirable to

subsequently separate the sheet sections from one another.

At the top end 22 of the sheet, an elongate strand of material, for example

a nylon rope is embedded within the plastic material forming the body of the fabric sheet

20 so as to form a bead 30 of increased thickness relative to the remainder of the sheet,

extending laterally across the full width of the flexible sheet at the top edge thereof.

A similar bead 30 may also be provided along the bottom edge when the flexible sheet is used in a multi-level application where it is desirable for the bottom

edge of the sheet to be joined continuously with the top edge of another sheet

therebelow.

Turning now more particularly to the first embodiment of the system 10 as

shown in figures 1 through 5, the system includes a retainer member 32 comprising a

rigid frame member which is arranged to be fastened to the header 18 along the top

side of the building opening so that the retainer member 32 spans the full width of the

building opening and the full width of the corresponding flexible fabric sheet 20 that

spans the opening. The retainer member 32 is an extruded member having a constant

profile along the full length thereof in the lateral direction of the sheet. The profile

includes two channel portions 34 formed along opposing sides of the retainer member

in which each channel portion comprises a hollow channel of generally circular cross

section with an interior diameter that closely matches the exterior diameter of the bead

30 at the top or bottom edge of the sheet. A slot 36 is formed at the outer side of each

channel portion 34 to communicate from the interior of the hollow channel to the exterior

such that the slots 36 of the two channel portions are located at diametrically opposing

sides of the extruded member to face outwardly away from one another. Each slot has

a dimension in the circumferential direction of the corresponding channel portion

corresponding approximately to the thickness of the flexible sheet 22 so as to receive

the sheet extending outwardly of the channel portion when the channel portion receives one of the beads 30 at the top or bottom edge of the flexible sheet.

The extruded member forming the retainer member 32 further includes a

web portion 38 connected between the two channel portions so that the two channel

portions are sufficiently spaced apart to receive a fastener penetrated through the web

38 for fastening the retainer member to the corresponding frame member of the building

frame 12 so that the retainer member is fixed relative to the building frame. When

provided about a single building opening, the retainer member 32 typically extends

along the header at the top side of the building opening to receive the bead 30 at the

top edge of the sheet therein so as to secure the top edge of the sheet relative to the

frame of the building. When an additional flexible sheet 20 is used to span a second

building opening above the first building opening, an additional retainer member 32 is

provided to span the top side of the second opening; however the same retainer

member 32 used for securing the bead 30 at the top edge of the lower sheet 20 in one

of the channel portions 34 thereof also receives the bead 30 along the bottom edge of

the upper flexible sheet 20 within the other channel portion 34 of the same retainer

member 32.

To provide tension in the longitudinal direction by pulling longitudinally on

the flexible sheet 20 in proximity to the second end thereof, a tensioning pocket 40 is

formed on the inner surface of the flexible sheet 20. The pocket is formed from a fabric

panel that spans laterally the full width of the sheet 20. The fabric panel is formed in a

generally U-shaped loop so that opposing edges 42 of the panel are adjacent one

another at the top of the loop opposite a central fold in the panel at the bottom of the

loop. Each of the edges 42 spans laterally across the full width of the fabric sheet 22

be joined to the fabric sheet at a corresponding mounting location which is closer to the

bottom edge of the flexible sheet 20 than the top end of the flexible sheet. The two edges 42 are stitched together and to the flexible sheet 20 by one or more rows 44 of stitching. In addition, an optional additional row 46 of stitching may be provided along an inner portion of the fabric panel forming the pocket 40 closer to the fold forming the bottom of the loop of material of the pocket 40.

A tension member 48 in the form of a rigid frame member which is hollow and tubular in shape, for example an extruded metal or plastic tube or pipe, is received

within the tensioning pocket 40 to span across the full width of the flexible sheet 20 in

the lateral direction, so as to span across the plurality of sheet sections 28 if more than

one is provided, with a single rigid member.

A tensioning assembly is provided comprising a plurality of tensioning

devices 50 coupled between the tension member 48 and the building frame along the

bottom side of the building opening at a plurality of laterally spaced apart positions in

the lateral direction. In the illustrated embodiment, each tensioning device 50

comprises a winch including a winch body 52 defining a bottom mounting portion of the

winch which is arranged to be fixed to the building frame along the bottom side of the

corresponding building opening opposite from the retainer member fixed along the top

side of the building opening. Suitable fasteners can be used to extend through the winch

body and into the fixed structure of the building to fix the winch body relative to the

building frame.

In the usual manner of a winch, the winch body 52 supports a winch drum

54 rotatably thereon for cooperation with a releasable pawl (not shown) in the normal

manner of operation of a winch. A winch strap 56 includes a first end wound onto the

winch drum. The winch strap extends from the drum and passes through corresponding

slots 58 formed in the fabric panel of the pocket 40 so that the strap can extend around

and overtop the respective portion of the tension member 48 in alignment therewith towards an opposing second end 60 of the strap which is fixed onto the winch body using a suitable retainer pin or the like. The winches are operated to tighten the respective winch straps which pulls the tension member 48 in the longitudinal direction of the flexible sheet downward and away from the retainer member 32 securing the opposing first end of the flexible sheet therein. The flexible sheet 20 is thus effectively tensioned in the longitudinal direction between the first end 22 at the top of the sheet and the mounting location of the pocket 40 on the flexible sheet 20 in proximity to the bottom second and 24 thereof.

A remaining end portion 62 of the flexible sheet 20 is defined between the

mounting location of the pocket 40 of the tension member 48 and the bottom second

end 24 of the flexible sheet. The end portion 62 spans in the longitudinal direction of

the sheet by an overall height of the tension assembly between the mounting location

of the tension member and the bottom of the building opening. When a bottom bead is

provided, the bottom edge can also be secured in fixed relation to the building frame to

provide a continuous weather barrier spanning across the corresponding opening in the

building.

When used at upper levels of a building structure where a safety railing is

required to prevent construction workers from falling over the outer edges of the upper

levels, the wall system 10 may further include a railing assembly as described in the

following. The railing assembly includes a railing pocket 64 formed onto the inner

surface of the flexible sheet 20. Similarly, to the tensioning pocket, the railing pocket

also comprises a fabric panel spanning the full width of the flexible sheet 20 in the lateral

direction thereof. Opposing top and bottom edges 66 and 68 of the fabric panel forming

the railing pocket are joined to the flexible sheet using respective rows of stitching 70

or other permanent fasting means including heat welding or adhesive and the like. The fabric panel is longer between top and bottom edges than the spacing between the stitching rows 70 such that the panel is able to protrude inwardly from the inner surface of the flexible sheet 20 in a triangular shape towards an inner apex 70 so as to define a triangular shape of the hollow interior of the pocket 64 at the inner surface of the flexible sheet 20.

The railing system further includes a rigid railing member 74 in the form of a rigid, tubular frame member, for example an extruded hollow plastic or metal tube

or pipe, which spans the full width of the flexible sheet 20 in the lateral direction between

corresponding posts at laterally opposing sides of the corresponding building opening.

Two frame mounts 76 are supported on the building posts at opposing sides of the

building opening. Each frame mount includes a L-shaped bracket having a first flange

joined to an inner surface of the respective post of the building frame using suitable

fasteners, and a second flange extending perpendicularly and horizontally inward into

the building from the building frame. Another winch 78 having a which body and winch

drum as described above is mounted on the second flange using suitable fasteners to

fix the winch body to the second flange of the bracket.

A tension cable 80 is provided in the form of an elongate rope or other strand material such as a steel cable, which is wound at opposing ends onto the

winches 78 of the two frame mounts 76 at laterally opposing sides of the corresponding

building opening. One or both winches is operated to provide tension to the cable 80 in

the lateral direction. The cable 80 is inserted through the hollow interior of the rigid

railing member 74 to extend longitudinally within the rigid railing member across the full

length thereof in the lateral direction of the flexible sheet 20. The flexible sheet is

typically supported to be substantially flush with the exterior side of the building frame

while the frame mounts for the railing assembly are supported at the inner surface of the building frame such that the rigid railing member 74 supported by the tension cable

80 between the frame mounts 76 is positioned at a location spaced perpendicularly

inward from the plane of the flexible sheet 20.

The flush mounting of the flexible sheet 20 with the exterior side of the

building readily allows adjacent flexible sheets 20 at two adjacent building openings of

the building to be joined to one another to form a continuous barrier sheet across the

exterior of the building frame. Typically, the adjacent sheets are joined with releasable

fasteners such as hook and loop fasteners, zippers, or laces tied between grommet

openings along the side edges of the adjacent flexible sheets 20 respectively.

The fabric panel forming the railing pocket 64 includes a plurality of cut

out openings 82 formed therein at the inner apex 72 of the pocket at spaced apart

positions from one another in the lateral direction of the flexible sheet so as to be spaced

apart along the length of the railing member. Each cut-out opening 82 defines an access

opening in alignment with the railing member to fully expose the respective portion of

the railing member with additional space surrounding the railing member such that the

railing member can be readily grasped in the hand of a user at each opening 82.

In use, the wall system is typically mounted onto a building frame by

initially fastening the retainer member 32 across the top side of the corresponding

building opening to be covered. The top edge of the flexible sheet 20 can then be

inserted into a corresponding channel portion of the retainer member by sliding the

bead at the top edge of the flexible sheet into the retainer member in the lateral direction

of the sheet until the sheet is aligned with the building opening. If securing the bottom

end of the sheet with a corresponding bead in a channel, the bottom bead is also

inserted into the respective frame member along the bottom side of the corresponding

building opening. The tension member 42 is then inserted into the pocket at the inner side of the flexible sheet 20 with the winch straps 56 being extended about the tension member. With the winch bodies fixed along the bottom of the building opening, further operation of the winches will pull the tension member downwardly to longitudinally tension the sheet between (i) the top first end 22 and (ii) the mounting location of the tension member in proximity to the bottom second end 24. The railing member 74 is then inserted into the railing pocket 64 and the tension cable 80 is tensioned in the lateral direction through the railing member between frame mounts 76 mounted on the building frame.

Turning now to the second embodiment according to figures 6 through

10, in this instance the flexible sheet is provided for again spanning over a respective

building opening in the building, however the retainer member 32 across the top side

of the building opening according to the first embodiment is instead replaced with an

auxiliary retainer member 100 which defines a track for supporting the flexible sheet 20

to be slidable in a lateral direction between a closed position spanning the associated

building opening and an open position in which the building opening is substantially

unobstructed by the flexible sheet so as to function as a doorway.

In this instance, the retainer member 100 comprises a rigid frame member

in the form of a hollow tube of square cross section in which a slot 102 is formed in the

bottom side of the tube to extend along the full length of the tube in the lateral direction.

The slot is centred between opposing sides of the tube so as to define a pair of side

flanges 104 protruding inwardly towards one another on opposing sides of the slot at

the bottom wall of the tube forming the retainer member 100.

A plurality of carriage members 106 are supported within the hollow

interior of the retainer member so as to be supported for sliding or rolling movement

along the length of the retainer member corresponding to the lateral direction of the sheet 20. Each carriage member includes a central body 108 supporting two wheels

110 thereon at opposing sides of the body for rolling movement along respective ones

of the two side flanges 104 of the retainer member. A depending hook 112 extends

downwardly from the central body 108 through the bottom slot 102 for being hooked

into a respective hook opening 114 in proximity to the top edge of the flexible sheet 20.

A plurality of the carriage members 106 are provided at laterally spaced apart positions

across the width of the sheet so as to support the sheet across the width thereof.

In further embodiments, a rigid member may be coupled to the top edge

of the sheet which is in turn secured relative to the carriage members 106 using suitable

hooks or fasteners of various types which communicate through the bottom slot 102 of

the retainer member so as to be movable along a slot together with movement of the

flexible sheet in the lateral direction relative to the track formed by the retainer member

100.

In the embodiment of figures 6 through 10, the remainder of the wall

system 10 is substantially identical to the previous embodiments with regard to a

tensioning pocket 40 that receives a tension member 48 therein which is secured by

tensioning devices 50, as well as a railing assembly comprised of a rigid railing member

74 received within a railing pocket 64. In the second embodiment however the

tensioning assemblies remain readily releasable from the fabric sheet 20. In this

instance, when it is desired for the door opening in the building to remain closed, the

tensioning assemblies and the railing assembly remain secured between the flexible

sheet and the building frame. However, when it is desired to open the door opening in

the building, the tensioning assembly and the railing assembly are released so as to

disconnect the flexible sheet from the building frame and support the flexible sheet 20

entirely by the carriage members 106 along the top edge thereof.

As shown in figures 9 and 10, when it is desirable to form the building

frame with a door opening 120 between two adjacent building openings 122 which are

intended to remain closed by the wall system 10, a first flexible sheet 20 and a second

flexible sheet 20 according to the first embodiment of figures 1 through 5 are initially

mounted in fixed relation across each of the building openings 122. The door opening

120 is instead enclosed by a flexible sheet supported on a retainer member 100

according to the embodiment of figures 6 through 10.

The retainer member 100 in this instance preferably spans in the lateral

direction of the sheet the full width of the door opening to be covered by the sheet as

well as the full width of the adjacent building opening so that the retainer member 100

may be twice the overall length of the flexible sheet in the lateral direction. Furthermore,

the retainer member 100 typically protrudes outwardly from the building by a depth

which is greater than the retainer member 32 such that the movable flexible sheet

according to figures 6 through 10 is supported within a plane which is spaced outwardly

from the building and outwardly from the plane locating other flexible sheets 20

according to the embodiment of figures 1 through 5. In this instance the flexible sheet

20 that spans the door opening 120 in the closed position of figure 9 can be displaced

in the lateral direction of the sheet to the open position of figure 10 in overlapping

arrangement relative to a fixed one of the flexible sheets 20 over the adjacent building

opening 122. The movable flexible sheet remains within a respective plane which is

parallel but spaced outwardly from the plane of the flexible sheet spanning the adjacent

building openings 122.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above

described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made, it is

intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A wall system for spanning a building opening in a building frame of a building, the wall system comprising: a flexible sheet of flexible material spanning in a longitudinal direction between opposing first and second ends and defining a width in a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction between opposing side edges; a first frame member arranged to be secured to the flexible sheet in proximity to the first end of the flexible sheet so as to span the width of the flexible sheet; a second frame member arranged to be secured to the flexible sheet in proximity to the second end of the flexible sheet so as to span the width of the flexible sheet; the first and second frame members being arranged to mount onto the building frame in fixed relation thereto along opposing first and second sides of the building opening such that the flexible sheet is under tension in the longitudinal direction between the first and second frame members; and a rigid railing member connected to the flexible sheet to extend in the lateral direction across the flexible sheet at an intermediate location between a connection of the flexible sheet to the first frame member and a connection of the flexible sheet to the second frame member.
2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the rigid railing member is received within a pocket formed on the flexible sheet.
3. The system according to claim 2 wherein the pocket receives the rigid railing member therein at a location spaced from a plane of the flexible sheet.
4. The system according to any one of claims 1 through 3 wherein the pocket includes a plurality of access openings formed therein at laterally spaced apart positions in alignment with the rigid railing member such that the rigid railing member is arranged to be grasped in a hand of a user at each access opening.
5. The system according to any one of claims 1 through 4 wherein the rigid railing member receives a flexible cable extending through the rigid railing member in the lateral direction of the flexible sheet between opposing railing mounts, the railing mounts being arranged to be supported on the building frame so as to support the flexible cable under tension in the lateral direction transversely to the longitudinal direction of the sheet.
6. The system according to any one of claims 1 through 5 further comprising: the first frame member comprising a retainer member arranged to mount onto the building frame in fixed relation thereto along a first side of the building opening; a tensioning assembly arranged to be fixed onto the building frame along a second side of the building opening opposite from the first side of the building opening; and the second frame member comprising a tension member arranged to be secured to be operatively connected to the tensioning assembly such that the tensioning assembly is arranged to apply tension in the longitudinal direction to a portion of the flexible sheet between the retainer member and the tension member.
7. The system according to claim 6 further comprising a pocket formed on the flexible sheet extending laterally across the width of the flexible sheet and receiving the tension member therein.
8. The system according to either one of claims 6 or 7 wherein the second frame member forming the tension member is a rigid tube extending laterally across the width of the flexible sheet.
9. The system according to any one of claims 6 through 8 wherein the tension member is secured to the flexible sheet at a mounting location spaced longitudinally inwardly from the second end of the flexible sheet so as to define an end portion of the flexible sheet extending longitudinally between the mounting location and the second end of the flexible sheet which is not tensioned by the tensioning assembly.
10. The system according to claim 9 wherein the end portion of the flexible sheet spans a length of the tensioning assembly in the longitudinal direction of the flexible sheet between the tension member and a mounting portion of the tensioning assembly that is arranged to be secured to the building frame.
11. The system according to any one of claims 6 through 10 wherein the tensioning assembly comprising at least one winch arranged to be operatively connected between the building frame and the tension member.
12. The system according to claim 11 wherein said at least one winch comprises a plurality of winches at laterally spaced apart positions along the tension member.
13. The system according to any one of claims 6 through 12 wherein the tensioning assembly is readily releasable from the sheet and wherein the retainer member comprises a track spanning the width of the sheet and supporting one or more carriage assemblies for rolling movement in a lateral direction along the track, said one or more carriage assemblies being arranged to support the first end of the sheet thereon such that the sheet is laterally movable in the lateral direction together with rolling movement of said one or more carriage assemblies along the retainer member.
14. The system according to any one of claims 1 through 13 wherein the flexible sheet comprises a plurality of sheet sections releasably joined in series with one another using releasable fasteners such that each sheet section spans a full length of the flexible sheet in the longitudinal direction between the opposing first and second ends of the flexible sheet and only spans a portion of the width of the flexible sheet in the lateral direction, and wherein the first frame member comprising a single frame member spanning the width of the flexible sheet across the plurality of sheet sections.
15. The system according to any one of claims 1 through 14 wherein the flexible sheet comprises a plurality of sheet sections releasably joined in series with one another using releasable fasteners such that each sheet section spans a full length of the flexible sheet in the longitudinal direction between the opposing first and second ends of the flexible sheet and only spans a portion of the width of the flexible sheet in the lateral direction, and wherein the second frame member comprising a single frame member spanning the width of the flexible sheet across the plurality of sheet sections.