GB2051918A - volume-enclosing Structure - Google Patents

Abstract

A multi-faced building structure, which in one form can be raised from a laminar of equilateral triangular units (11), the structure having vertical faces (16) and inclined faces and a planar base periphery (17). The building may be supported by a central column accommodating service facilities. The building may be constructed from panels hinged together or interconnected by press fastenings, siding or bolted clasp fasteners. For details of materials employed, mode of erection, uses etc. the specn. should be referred to. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Volume-Enclosing Structure This invention relates to volume-enclosing structures such as buildings and tanks.

The invention provides a new shape of multifaced volume-enclosing structures which lends itself to repetitive off-site manufacture of similar components for easy erection into a structure onsite.

Many forms of "Dome-shaped" building structures are known. They tend not to be true geometric domes. They lack ease of interconnection with each other, they tend to be made of components of diverse shapes and frequently need filler components to produce a base perimeter which accommodates itself to a flat pre-laid foundation.

Structures according to the present invention can go a long way to removing these drawbacks.

They could be made from single shaped base units, namely constant size equilateral triangles.

They present, at some faces, vertical walls which allow for simple interconnection to generate structure complexes. They present a base perimeter which is in a flat plane. Most of the wall-forming faces-which are inclined to the vertical have a small (typically about 150) inclination to the vertical. The roof-forming faces tend to have a small inclination to the horizontal.

The structures can be raised from a laminar form which allows assembly in the flat. This provides the prospect of fast erection. The volume enclosed has a high utilisation potentia! as unaccommodating sub-volumes are avoided. The structures can be sealed and they can be made from a variety of common materials none of which are required to be of dimensions which are large when considered against the structure being built.

The present invention provides a volumeenclosing structure comprising surface forming units, the shape and disposition of said units being such as to create a functional structure substantially as shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings.

A structure, according to the invention, can be made by attaching appropriate surface-forming units to an erected framework, such as a framework providing nodes to which the centre of the units are attached or the structure can be made by assembly of the units in laminar disposition and then raising the centre of the laminar whilst allowing some parts of the periphery of the laminar to form the base perimeter of the structure and other parts to abut or otherwise become joined.

The invention will now be described further with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1. shows diagrammatically in plan view a hexagonal laminar of fifty-four triangular base surface-forming units providing six building components; Fig. 2. is a diagrammatic perspective view of a 9-unit building component folded to take a hexagonal form for transportation; Fig. 3. is a diagrammatic elevation of two 9unit building components folded and stacked in an inter-engaging manner; Fig. 4. shows diagrammatically, in plan view, a 54-unit hexagonal laminar with three 5-unit sections cut out to form a building base and the remaining thirty-nine units functionally identified; Fig. 5. shows diagrammatically, in plan view, a building base formed from the three 5-unit sections cut out as indicated in Fig. 4;; Figs. 6, 7 and 8 show, respectively, a plan of a building formed from the 39-unit section shown in Fig. 4, a view of the direction VII of Fig. 6 and a view in the direction VIII of Fig. 6 and illustrate the shape of a structure according to the present invention; Figs. 9 and 10 show, respectively, diagrammatic plans typical of the ground and upper levels of the buildings of Figs. 6, 7 and 8; Figs. 11, 12 and 13 shows three typical building complexes; Figs. 14, 14A. 14B, 14C and 1 5 show, in section, details of construction of building components; Figs. 1 6, 1 6A, 1 6B, 1 6C and 1 7 to 22 show details of moulds for component construction; and Figs. 23 and 24 illustrate one procedure for erection of a building having the shape shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8.

In Fig. 1 an equilateral hexagonal laminar 10 has fifty-four equilateral triangular surfaceforming units 11. Dash lines 12 indicate lines whereby the laminar 10 is divided into six 9-unit triangular components 13.

In Fig. 2 one of the 9-unit triangular components is shown in a hexagonal form for transportation. Six "central" units 11 make a hexagon and the apical units 11 a of the triangular components 13 have been folded back on the six units 11 to form a transportable body 14 which is stackable with interengagement with similar bodies 14.

In Fig. 3 two bodies 14, obtained by folding components 13, are shown back-to-back so as to interengage for transportation.

In Fig. 4 a 54-unit hexagon 1 Oa reformed by suitably joining six components 13, has had three 5-unit sections 1 5 removed which can be used to form a base 1 7 (Fig. 5). In the remaining thirtynine units various sides of the units have been identified by letters A to K. In transforming the hexagon 1 0a into a raised building 20 (see Figs.

6, 7 and 8) side A is joined to side A; B to B etc and I to I. Lines J represent cuts (unhinged lines) so that the triangular units incorporating those lines and free edges can function as openings for windows, for example, on small "tent-sized" structures. On larger structures, windows and doors will be integrated in other units as described later.

Trapezium-shaped sections 1 6 are indicated in Fig. 4 by multiple lined areas. When the building 20 is erected these sections 1 6 remain vertical and planar with the other walls inclined. Edges of the hexagon 1 Oa which lie on the perimeter of the nominal hexagon form a planar perimeter to the building 20. The trapezium-shaped sections 1 6 do not need to be made of triangular hinged base units as they never need to deflect from a true plane except as may be required for the purpose of transportation of the stacked hexagon components when the apex unit needs to be hinged. Doors 24 for access, say, can be cut into the Sections 1 6.

The utilisation of the three 5-unit sections 1 5 to form a base 17 is shown in Fig. 5. Two of the sections 1 5 are used in their entirety and one section 1 5a is reduced in size by cutting-off two surface-forming units 11. Fig.5, which is drawn to the same scale as Fig. 4, indicates the ground floor area of a building raised from the flat structure 1 Oa shown in Fig. 4. The height of the building is about the same as one of the longer sides of the base 1 7. The building can be divided by a ceiling/floor at mid-levei and by internal vertical partitioning.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 show the surface-forming units 11, the trapezium-shaped sections 1 6 and the planar base 17 of the building 20. Thd only truly vertical parts of the building are the sections 16.

The six units 11 which appear approximately centrally in Fig. 6 form a water-shedding roof of low pitch to provide good utilisation of space in the building. The remaining units 11, except those predominantly forming a roof function, have only modest inclination to the vertical, typically in the range of 150 overhang to 300 backward slope and hence again good space utilisation is available. Certain of the units may be glazed or equipped with solar panels. A door 24 is shown in one section 1 6, and this door may be positioned centrally or off-centre according to the panel construction.

The building could be provided with a central column to give support to the building. This column could be hollow and accommodate building services such as electricity, water etc, a common access area to all rooms in the building and/or a stairway. Floor plans at ground and first floor level are shown typically in Figs. 9 and 10 respectively, although other configurations are possible.

In Fig. 9, the ground floor plan is 6-sided with alternate short and long sides formed by overhanging units 11 and trapezium shaped sections 16 respectively. A central column 21 is shown together with vertical partitioning 22. In Fig. 10 the 1 st floor plan is shown with the column 21 and vertical partitioning 23.

The fact that the building does expose vertical flat walls means that buildings can be joined together with other buildings at these walls to form complexes.

Figs. 11, 12 and 13 show three building complexes each using six buildings 20. Fig 11 shows an abutting linear complex and Fig. 12 shows a hexagonal (ring-shaped) close-spaced complex with interconnections 25 between the buildings 20 sharing the common trapeziumshaped vertical walls. Fig. 1 3 shows an openspaced cross-shaped complex with similar interconnections 25 between separate buildings 20. Of course complexes having a wide variety of overall shape can be constructed owing to the tesseliating geometry of the structure.

Details of the construction of the surfaceforming units 11 wili now be given. Preferably they are of heat insulating construction with durable external surfaces. In general the units should have an inherent rigidity so that a building can be erected which needs no supports or frame.

However as the buildings increase in size the need for supports and/or frame may arise.

In Fig. 14 there is shown in section a part of a component 1 3. A sandwich is made consisting of an outer covering 30, a foamed interior 31 and an inner covering 32. The inner coverings are embossed to generate depressions 33 and hence generate membrane hinges 26 joining together the base units 11 in the component. The shape of the depressions 33 may vary between various panels 11 in order that, with any required degree of hinging, the sides 33a of the depressions may come together so that the depressions 33 are not readily visible inside the raised building.

For structures larger than, say, 30 cubic metres, stronger units 11 may be required as shown typically in Fig. 14A. In this construction, the inner covering 10 and outer covering 11 are as in Fig. 14 but the foam 35 is encastered within a hard material (Glass reinforced cement for exampie) a reinforcing web 36 is buried in the material 34 to give extra strength to the unit. This web 36 may be metal, such as expanded metal, or metal rod construction, or alternatively a highstrength non-metallic fibrous membrane. In addition to the depressions 33, an outer depression 37 may be necessary to give the required flexibility between adjacent units 11.

For very inexpensive structures, for temporary emergency use for example, the units 11 may be constructed from fibrous board as shown in Fig.

14B. In this figure the outer covering 30a and the inner covering 32a are of board with corrugated board 38 and a board 38a giving heat insulation.

A water-resistant coating 39 is shown on the outer covering 30a.

Fig. 1 4C shows another possible construction for units 11. These are made from a plastic material, such as extruded polypropylene, sheet 40. (One material of this form is sold under the Trade Name "Correx"). Cut 41 made along the outer surface 11 exposes the inner surface 10 and the cross webs which make up the sheet 40.

These cuts allow the material to fold along the cut-lines. Cuts or grooves may alternatively be made along the inner surface 10 to provide a continuous outer surface 11. The units 11 could be single sheet material.

Where units 11 are constructed from materials requiring a mould, such as glass-fibre, reinforced concrete or glass-fibre reinforced cement suitable mould details are shown in Figs. 16 to 22.

For small structures, a complete mould of fiftyfour units 11 may be fabricated from, say, wood, as shown in Fig. 1 6. A base 42 is divided into the fifty-four sections by means of profiled sections 43 and 44. A cross-section A-A through member 43 is shown in Fig. 1 6A. Similarly, a cross-section B-B through the perimeter member 44 is shown in Fig. 1 6B. A window panel 45 may also be included, wish typical cross-section C-C as shown in Fig. 1 6C. A door panel 46 may be 'cut' leaving a flexible hinge along one edge.

For larger structures, a complete mould may be impractical and a partial mould providing nine units 11 may be preferred, as indicated by the dash lines in Fig. 16.

Thé components 13, as described above, and shown typically in Fig. 1 4A, can be formed in a mould as shown in Fig. 1 7 with reinforcing 36, 46, applied as required. The reinforcing 46, and blanking block 45 provide window units 11.

For structures of such a size that construction of single panels is the only practical method of fabrication, single panel moulds may be required as shown in Figs. 18, 19, 20. Fig. 18 shows a flat base 48 with side members 49, from which a basic unit 11 may be formed. Fig. 19 shows a mould for a window frame type unit 11 similar to Fig. 1 8 except for a central member 50 which forms a recess for adding a glazing panel at a later stage of construction.

Fig. 20 shows a typical mould for a door frame type unit 11, similar to Fig. 18 except for a floor edge member 51 and door frame members 52.

To connect single units 11 to neighbouring units, a method of attachment, shown in Fig. 21, is to overhang a portion of flexible members, 53, on one or more sides, such that an infill of cement or other bonding material 54 can be applied and allowed to set. For partial moulds of nine units 11, Fig. 22, specific edges 54 may be designated as having the overhang of flexible membrane 53 such that the complete fifty-four unit basic hexagon, or the partiai thirty-nine unit depleted hexagon (which forms the upper structure) may be connected on site. Other forms of panel interconnection are possible and depends on size and utilisation of the finished structure.

Where units 11 have to become joined with other units 11 as the building is erected (as referred to above with reference to Fig. 4) lines A-A to I-I and the panel edge design are specially adapted. One such adaptation is shown in Fig. 15.

In this Figure there is shown the edges 11 b of panel 11 having lips 11 C which can be pressfastened to corresponding edges 11 b.

Alternatively sliding or bolted clasp fasteners can be used.

Access to a building 20 can take various forms.

Access by doorway through the trapezium parts 1 6 has already been referred to. Access could also be by way of a removable or hinged unit 11 or by a doorway in a unit 11.

In Fig. 23, a nominal hexagon 10a (see Fig. 4) is shown laid out flat above a hard standing 55 in the ground 56. The hexagon has a central hole 57 and through this a central pillar 21 and hoist 58 is erected. Cords 59 from the derrick have their ends joined to the hexagon 1 0a. A main pull rope 60 extends from the hoist 58 to a cradle 62 and as the rope is pulled so the hexagon 1 Oa is drawn into the rough form of a building 20 (Fig. 24) with the central pillar 21 in place and the hoist 58 above the building from whence it can be removed. The fastening of units 11 along the lines A-A to I-I can then take place. The sideways force from pulling rope 60 could be opposed by two reaction ropes 61.The cradle 62 can incorporate a friction device to prevent slipping back down the column during erection.

As an alternative to using a hoist, a mobile boom crane could be used. For a small building the pillar 21 could be raised internally and could be removed so long as the building had adequate rigidity.

When a building according to the above description is erected it is seen that it has six pentagonal non-planar components, each made from five units 11 having a common apical point, and three trapezium-shaped planar parts 1 6 each occupying the area of three units 11.

Buildings like buildings 20 described above have many uses.

A rigid tent may be formed from a hexagon 1 Oa having a side length of say, up to 3 metres. A measure of security is afforded by joining the interconnecting edges from the inside.

If the hexagon side length is increased to say 6 metres or more then an emergency shelter, garage or store could be erected.

In general the invention provides a building in which the ratio of erected volume to dismantled volume is very large.

It can be made of many materials; as mentioned cardboard suitably waterproofed could be used for cheap, rigid shelters; modern plastics materials could be used for more durable structures; common building materials could be used for larger structures. In addition, metal sheet or foil could be used for sealed containment structures or tanks. Composite materials such as glass-fibre reinforced cement would combine the required structural rigidity with flexibility at the folding edges. Asbestos and metal foil may provide a fire-resisting structure.

In addition to the uses already suggested, many other applcations are possible such as greenhouses, playdomes, vehicle covers, arenas, temporary or permanent homes, fall out shelters, iarger structures with multiple-connected units, machinery covers or plinths, tanks, observatories or vehicle structures. Because a frameless building is possible, housing for radar equipment would be ideal with minimal interference from surrounding metalwork. One enclosure structure can be fitted closely inside a similar structure if the dimensions of the latter are slightiy reduced.

This makes it suitable for double-skinned containment structures, or, by suitably spacing the internal unit to form passageways or provide a cavity-wall structure. A simple hovercraft structure may be formed with one structure enclosed in another with emergence of air from the periphery of the double skinned structure. The ease with which structures may be formed from a simple sheet make it suitable for space-craft structures where initial folding into a very compact unit makes it attractive from transportation requirements. The initial compact shape provides a unit of minimum volume for the transportation, by air say, of many units to a disaster area. Units with a sealed base would provide a buoyant structure suitable for water craft, or could provide a buoyant shelter for other such water craft.

Size range is extensive, erection is rapid, and the relatively simple manufacturing and/or assembly of uniform basic units makes it attractive for cheap, good space-utilisation multi purpose, rigid frameless structures.

Claims (22)

Claims

1. A volume-enclosing structure comprising surface-forming units 111 J, the shape and disposition of said units being such as to create a functional structure (20) substantially as shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings.

2. A structure as claimed in claim 1 in which the surface-forming units (11) are attached singly or in groups to a framework.

3. A structure as claimed in claim 1 in which the surface-forming units are joined (26) so that they can take up various angles in relation to each other and so that the joined units can lay flat (Fig.

23) prior to being raised (Fig. 24) to form the structure.

4. A component (13) for a structure as claimed in claim 3, each component comprising a number of joined surface-forming units (11).

5. A component as claimed in claim 4 in which the surface-forming units are of equilateral triangular shape and the component contains nine such units joined together to form equilateral triangular shape so that the three surface-forming units which form the apices of that shape can be folded back over the remaining six units to render the component stackable, with interengagement, with a similar component (14) when so folded.

6. A component as claimed in claim 4 or 5 in which the surface-forming units are of sandwich construction having an outer covering (30), a foamed interior (31) and an inner covering (32).

7. A component as claimed in claim 6 in which the inner covering (32) has depressions (33) generating membrane hinges (26) joining together the surface-forming units.

8. A component as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 7 including reinforcing means (36).

9. A component as claimed in claims 6, or 7, or 8 when appendent to claims 6 and 7, having encastered (35) foam filling.

10. A component as claimed in claims 4 or 5 comprising surface-forming units of sandwich construction made of sheet board (30a, 32a, 38a and corrugated board (38) between the adjacent pairs of sheet boards.

11. A component as claimed in claims 4 or 5 comprising surface units of extruded cellular section (40).

12. A building component substantially as herein before described with reference to any one of Figs. 14, 14A, 14B of the drawings.

13. A building component substantially as herein before described with reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings.

14. A volume-enclosing structure as claimed in claim 3 in which the structure in the flat form is of nominal equilateral hexagonal shape (10a) as presented by fifty-four nominal equilateral triangular surface units (11) in which three groups (1 5) of five surface units have been removed and three groups (16) of three surface units each form a vertical wall (16) in the raised structure.

15. A structure as claimed in claim 14 in which the joining together of adjacent pairs of some of the surface-forming units is destroyed or not provided (lines J) so that one unit of the pair can function as an opening in the raised building.

1 6. A structure as claimed in any one of the previous structure claims in which there is provided a central column (21).

17. A structure as claimed in claim 16 in which the central column is hollow and provides structure services.

1 8. A structure is claimed in any one of the previous structure claims joined to another such structure at vertical walls of the structures.

1 9. Joined structures as claimed in claim 18 in which the joining is such that the structures form a linear complex.

20. Joined structures as claimed in claim 18 in which the joining is such that the buildings form a ring-shaped complex.

21. Joined structures as claimed in claim 18 in which the joining is such that the buildings form a cross-shaped complex.

22. Two structures as claimed in claim 1 with one structure fitting closely inside the other.