AU651396B2 - Roof structure - Google Patents

Description

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654396 P/00/0111 28/5/91 Regulation 3,2(2)

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT

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*4 4 Application Number: Lodged: Invention Title: "ROOF STRUCTURE"

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The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method'of performing it known to us C S C

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P007 1 85 191 19 ROOF STRUCTURE This invention relates to a roof structure wherein the roofing material is made up of a plurality of sections of fabric or like materials which are flexible and tensionable.

There is currently available a range of roof structures using such material, but difficulties exist in the area where two sections of tile flexible material adjoin, particularly when the material is in a tensioned state. It is thus the object of the present invention to provide a roof structure using flexible and tensionable materials which will provide and effective protection, is convenient to erect, attractive in 1 0 appearance and comparatively low cost.

With this object in view, there is provided according to the present invention a roof structure comprising a plurality of substantially parallelogram panels of flexible tensionable material, including at least two upper panels and one lower panel, 1 said two upper panels being supported at each corner in a longitudinal end to end relation '15 with the laterally opposite corners of each upper panel at respective different heights i I with the diagonally opposite corners of the same upper panel at the same height and with adjacent corners of the adjacent upper panels at the same height, the lower panel C, positioned below the two upper panels spanning the junction therebetween, each panel being tensioned in both diagonal directions.

Preferably the lower panel is supported at each corner with the respective corners of one pair of diagonally opposite corners of the lower panel supported adjacent a respective one of the adjacent corners of the two upper panels. The ,corners of said lower panel constituting said one pair of diagonally opposite corners being at different heights so the lower panel along said diagonal is inclined in the same S5 direction as said adjacent edges of the upper panels thereabove. The other diagonally C C 0 VCct opposite corners of the lower panel preferably being suppoiled at heights not below the lower of said one pair of diagonally opposite corners.

k !C tI 2 Conveniently, the corners of the lower panel constituting said one pair of diagonally opposite corners are supported at substantially the same height as the respective adjacent corners of the upper panels so that the inclination of the lower panel along that diagonal is substantially the same as the inclination of the respective side by side edges of the two adjacent upper panels. The other diagonally opposite corners of the lower panel can be supported at a height of the same order or substantially equal to the height of the lower one of said one pair of corners of the lower panel.

Any number of upper panels may be assembled in a side by side relation in a wide variety of configurations with each two adjacent panels being arranged in the 1 0 manner defined above. Where there are more than two upper panels, it is necessary to provide at least one lower panel wherever there are two adjacent side by side edges of respective upper panels. In addition, or alternatively, a further lower panel may be provided at any free end of an upper panel. In this latter location, the lower panel is supported in the identical manner to that previously described, except that tile lower ,i 5 panel to one side of the diagonal formed by the one pair of diagonally opposite corners is Sexposed and not beneath an upper panel.

t oo Conveniently, the corners of the upper and lower panels when arranged as 4 4a above described are supported by upright members conveniently in the form of staunchions or posts with appropriate lateral bracing between the posts if required. The 2 0 upright members and the lateral bracing may be rigidly connected to form a skeleton a framework. The height of the upright members will be selected in accordance with the required height of the corner of the panel as defined above, and in an assembly of side by side upper panels extending in the one longitudinal direction, the upright members along etach side of the structure will alternate between high and low, with a high member on S 5 one side being opposite a low member on the other side of the structure.

a +t q 3 The invention will be more readily understood from the following description of a practical arrangement of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a view from above of a completed roof structure incorporating the present invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the roof structure as seen in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of the roof structure as shown in Figure 1 with the upper panels removed; Figure 4 is a side elevation of the structure as shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a perspective diagramatic view of the skeletal framework as used to support the roof structure as shown in Figure 1; Figure 6 is a detailed view of the connection between a panel and the A# ft a support structure.

Sa01 5 Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is illustrated a roof structure having two upper panels 10a and 10b and three lower panels 11a, 11b and 11 c, the two terminal lower panels 11a and 11c each projecting longitudinally beyond the respective upper panels IOa and lOb. The two upper panels lOa and 1Ob are each of substantially square shape when in a non-erected condition, and are made of a woven fabric of a natural or synthetic yarn. The fabric is preferably waterproof, is tensionable and non-extendable.

'The two upper panels 10a and 1Ob are arranged side by side and each is 4 supported at the four corners thereof by posts 13 and 14, the corners of the adjacent lateral edges 20a and 20b of the respective upper panels 10a and lOb being supported C 5 by the same posts. The corners of the upper panels marked H are at a higher level than the corners marked L. As can be appreciated from Figure 5, the high corners H of the upper panels Will be supported by the tall post 14 and the low corners L by the short '3 posts 3 It will thus be appreciated as seen in Figure 2 each of the upper panels 10a and 1 ob is subjected to a degree of twist between its respective ends.

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4 Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, there is shown the three lower panels 11a, 11lb and 1Ic, as located below the two upper panels as shown in Figures 1 And 2.

The panels 11 a, 11 b and 11 c are also of a generally, square shape and are anchored to upright posts, with stays or brace members 19 arranged between the posts in a non planar configuration, one adjacent each edge of the lower panels, as may also be seen in Figures 3 and 5. Again, as previously referred to ;n respect to the upper panels, the posts along the outside edges of the structure are alternatively high and low, and are the same posts 13 and 14 as support the upper panels. Down the centre of the structure the four posts 17 are of the same height as the short posts 13 along the respective sides of the structure, and support the lower panels only.

In the completed structure, the central lower panel Ilb of the three lower panels spans the gap 20 between the edges 20a, 20b of the adjacent ends of the upper panels. Further, the laterally opposite corners of the adjacent ends of the upper panels 10a, 10b are secured to respective high and low posts adjacent the upper ends 5 thereof, and the diagonally opposite corners of the central lower panels lb are similarly secured at different heights, the upper and lower panels being similarly inclined in this area.

I In the configuration shown, approximately half of each of the end lower panels 11a, 11c projects beyond the terminal edges 21a, 21b of the respective upper panels 11 a and 10b. It is to be understood that a further upper panel may be added to one A or each end of the structure as illustrated without the need to add further lower panels.

£ts* 04 Also, if additional upper panels are added, a further lower panel may be added at one or both ends. If further upper panels are added laterally, further lower panels are preferably provided to span the gap between the lateral adlacent edges of the upper panels. The minimum number of respective panels required in a complete structure is C l+n lower panels and 2+n upper panels.

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The upper and lower panels may be made of any suitable material which may be of a woven or extruded sheet form. Although the panels as shown in the drawings are of a basically square shape, they may be of other four sided shapes.

The manner of attachment of the panel to the post may be of any convenient form including rope or cable secured to the panel which may extend completely round all edges of the panel. Each panel may be constructed with a substantially non-extendable cable along each edge of the panel, preferably in the form of a single continuous cable. The cable may be of galvanised or of stainless steel.

In order to assist in achieving the tension in the panel to be suitably 1 0 distributed so the total area of the panel is in tension, the respective edges are not initially cut straight but are of an inwardly curved shape, preferably a hyperbolic paraboloid shape. As seen in Figure 6, the maierial 22 of the panels is folded along each edge and hemmed to form a pocket 24 to house the cable 23. At each corner of the panel, [the cable is exposed as seen at 25 in Figure 6 and an anchor plate 26 is secured thereto.

5 The anchor plate 26 is secured to the adjacent post 14 of the frame structure such as by a turnbuckle 28 which will enable the panel to be tensioned after assembly to the frame structure.

It will be appreciated that a roof structure as above described presents a unique and pleasing appearance, is relatively simple to construct and being of a modular form can take a wide variety of configurations to suit differing requirements. Also the inclined disposition of the panels establishes effective draining of rain or other water to S the edges of the panels.

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Claims (14)

1. A roof structure comprising a plurality of substantially parallelogram shaped panels of flexible tensionable material, including at least two upper panels and one lower panel, said two upper panels being supported at each corner in a longitudinal end to end relation with the laterally opposite corners of each upper panel at respective different heights and with the diagonally opposite corners of the same upper panel at the same height, the adjacent corners of the adjacent upper panels being at the same height, the lower panel being positioned below the two upper panels spanning the junction therebetween, each panel being tensioned in both diagonal directions.

2. A roof structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lower panel is supported at each corner with the respective corners of one pair of diagonally opposite corners of the lower panel being supported adjacent a respective one of the adjacent corners of the two upper panels, the corners of said lower panel constituting said one pair of diagonally opposite corners being at different heights so the lower panel along said diagonal is inc.ined in the same direction as said adjacent edges of the adjacent upper panels thereabove.

3. A roof structure as claimed in claim 2 wherein the other diagonally H t opposite corners of the lower panel being supported at heights not below the lower of cI t t'o said one pair of diagonally opposite corners. f c

4. A ioof structure as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the inclination of said one lower panel along the diagonal between said one pair of opposite corners is substantially the same as that of the side by side edges of the two adjacent upper panels. A roof structure as claimed In claim A, 2, 3 or 4, wherein said one pair Of +v ower pan6 of diagonally opposite corners are supported at substantially the same height as the respective adjacent corners of the upper panels.

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6. A roof structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the other pair of diagonally opposite corners of the lower panel are supported at a height substantially the same as the lower one of said one pair of corners of the lower panel.

7. A roof structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein there are 2+n upper panels and 1 +n lower panels, one lower panel being positioned spanning each junction between two end to end upper panels.

8. A roof structure as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least at one end of the plurality of end to end upper panels there is provided a further lower panel positioned in the same orientation as the lower panels below the upper panels, said further lower panel having one pair of diagonally opposite corners with tile respective corner supported adjacent respective laterally opposite corners of the upper panel at the terminal end of the assembly of upper panels.

9. A roof structure as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the upper and lower panel are supported by a frame structure having two opposite parallel sides, each side including a number of upright members equal to the number of upper r panels plus one, the members being alternately of a first and second height along each side of the frame structure, with a member of first height on one side of the frame structure opposite a member of second height on the opposite side of the frame C°i tstructure.

A roof structure as claimed in claim 9, wherein the frame structure Fiq includes a number of equally spaced upright members of the lower of said first and second heights located centrally between the two opposite sides of the frame structure, said centrally located upright members being spaced longitudinally to support said other diagonally opposite corners of the lower panels.

11. A roof structure as claimed in claim 10, wherein brace members are provided between the centrally located upright members and the upright member along each side of the frame structure 8

1 2. A roof structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, where each panel has a continuous flexible non-extendabie member extending along the perimeter of the panel and secured thereto, said flexible non-extendable member being connected to a support structure adjacent each corner of the panel in a tensioned state to tension the panel in both diagonal directions.

13. A roof structure as claimed in claim 9, 10 or 11 where each panel has a continuous flexible non-extendable member extending along the perimeter of the panel and secured thereto, said flexible non-extendable member being connected to the frame °i structure adjacent each corner of the panel in a tensioned state to tension the panel in both diagonal directions.

14. A roof structure as claimed in claim 12 or 13, wherein the flexible non- extendable member is a closed loop cable. A roof structure constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings. 4 DATED this 19th day of November, 1991. TENSILE STRUCTURES PTY. LIMITED j *a WATERMARK PATENT AND TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS, SUITE 18, RUSSELL CENTRE, 159 ADELAIDE TERRACE, EAST PERTH, 6004, WESTERN AUSTRALIA, AUSTRAULIA. I