GB2565114B

GB2565114B - Arch

Info

Publication number: GB2565114B
Application number: GB1712439.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Dale Alan
Original assignee: Alan Dale Education Arch Ltd
Current assignee: Alan Dale Education Arch Ltd
Priority date: 2017-08-02
Filing date: 2017-08-02
Publication date: 2019-10-30
Anticipated expiration: 2037-08-02
Also published as: GB2565114A; GB201712439D0

Description

The following terms are registered trade marks and should be read as such wherever they occur in this document:

Perspex

Arch

The present invention relates to arches such as those used in architectural structures, such as houses, schools, offices, commercial properties and other buildings.

An arch is usually defined by the shape of its construction. In particular, an arch can be defined by a curved structure which may be symmetrical. The structure spans an opening that is defined by the shape of the arch. For a single beam spanning an opening, under load the top of the beam is under compression while the material in the bottom of the beam is under tension. The nature of the structure of the arch is intended to result in the materials forming the arch experiencing only a compressive force when the arch is under load, either from an object supported by the arch or from the weight of the arch itself. In reality, depending on the structure of the arch, some points in the arch may be under tension instead of compression.

Arches are used in various applications in the building of structures. A primary application of an arch in a structure is the use of an arch to support the weight of other parts of a structure, for example in a bridge or an opening such as a doorway. In such an arrangement, the load of the object is supported by the arch while still leaving an opening. In these arrangements, the arch usually forms a part of a larger structure. However, an arch may be free standing.

According to the present invention there is provided an arch, a building and a method for assembling an arch as specified in the claims.

This arrangement results in an arch made up of a number of substructures arranged along a surface defining the shape of an arch. The substructures may be located on the neutral axis, the line in the cross-section of the arch at which the load experienced changes from tension to compression. However, the addition of further layers of material to the arch may result in the line defining the neutral axis not passing through the substructures making up the arch, but instead passing above or below the substructures making up the arch. The orientation of the substructures results in the substructures bearing the compressive loading of the arch in a direction that is essentially across a diameter of the cross-section of the substructures. In such an orientation the substructures may have a good strength to weight ratio.

The plurality of substructures are hollow, further improving the strength to weight ratio. The plurality of substructures are open at one end. The plurality of substructures may be open at an end located closer to the inner side of the arch, the side of the arch facing the opening defined by the arch. The other end may be closed. Such an arrangement is advantageous as more of the compressive load may be borne by closed end of the substructure.

The plurality of substructures are made of metal. The plurality of substructures may in particular be made of stainless steel or chrome-plated steel. These materials have a high reflectivity. The use of such a material may assist in thus controlling the climate within the arch through the absorption, reflection and radiation of thermal energy.

The plurality of substructures are re-used or recycled washing machine drums or re-used or recycled tumble-dryer drums. A re-used or recycled product may be a product that was originally fabricated for a purpose that is not the construction of architectural structures, such as arches. The re-used or recycled product may be incorporated into the arch structure with no substantial modifications. The re-use of materials that were originally fabricated for a purpose different to that of forming architectural structures avoids the wastage of products such as washing machine drums once they have reached the end of their useful life in the appliance. The re-use of these drums also prevents the requirement of the fabrication of new materials for the fabrication of the arch structure. The use of reused or recycled materials, and in particular the use of washing machine or tumble dryer drums to form the arch therefore provides environmental benefits when compared to other methods.

All of the substructures in the arch may have the same dimensions. For example, if re-used components are used, standard sized components may be used. Such an arrangement may be convenient for the construction of the arch. If substructures of varying sizes are used, connections between substructures may be adapted to compensate for such differences.

Each substructure may be connected to adjacent substructures in a direction perpendicular to the central axis of each substructure.

The plurality of substructures may be arranged in a row, arranged so that the projection of the row in a horizontal plane of the arch is parallel to the projection of the neutral axis in the horizontal plane of the arch, the plane which is parallel to the tangent to the surface defined by the arch at the centre point of the arch and/or parallel to the ground. This arrangement results in the rows of substructures being arranged corresponding to the arc length of the arch.

The arch may comprise a row of substructures that extends for at least 50% of the arch length of the arch, and optionally at least 60%, 70%, 80% or 90% of the arc length of the arch. Alternatively, the arch may comprise a row of substructures that extends over at least a 90 degree angle of the arc length of the arch, and optionally over at least a 150 degree angle of the arch length of the arch.

In the case where the substructures forming the arch are made of a reflective material, the greater the proportion of the arch formed of the substructures, the greater the control of the environment within the arch that may be achieved. However, this may need to be balanced with the structural strength of the arch. The environmental performance may improve until the majority of the row of the arch is formed in this way. In the case where the arch is formed from re-used or recycled materials, the use of these materials for as large a section of the arch as possible may also be desirable due to reduction in wastage of material and reduction in the requirement for new building material. However, not all of the arch needs to be fabricated from substructures that may be re-used or recycled material to achieve these benefits.

The arch may further comprise a plurality of rows of substructures arranged parallel to one another other. In such an arrangement, any number of rows may be combined to form a desired width of arch. The surface of the arch may be formed by the arrangement of substructures. A first row of substructures may be connected to a second row of substructures. The connection between the first and second row of substructures may be formed by a plurality of connectors between the first and second rows. The connectors may be arranged along the rows. The arrangement of connectors may discontinuous such that a space is provided between adjacent connectors.

Arranging the connections in such a manner results in a least one gap though which a layer above or below the layer of substructures making up the arch can be accessed, for example for cleaning of the layer of substructures or other layers making up the arch.

The connection between rows may comprise a plurality of sub-structures each having a cylindrical outer surface defining a central axis of each sub-structure and arranged within the arch such that the central axis of the sub-structures is perpendicular to the neutral axis of the arch at the point where the central axis of the sub-structure intersects with the neutral axis of the arch. The plurality of substructures connecting the first and second row of substructures may be orientated in the arch to match that of substructures in the first and second row that they connect.

The connection between adjacent substructures in a row may comprise a connection member, wherein the connection member is connected to each of the adjacent substructures by at least one fastener and the connection member bears the compressive load of the rows in the arch. Connection members disposed between substructures may assist with the distribution of compressive forces throughout the arch. The use of connection members to connect adjacent substructures in a row may also assist in setting the relative angle of the central axis of the adjacent substructures.

The arch may further comprise a layer of transparent material structurally supported by the arch. This layer of transparent material may be arranged either above or below the arrangement of substructures, and preferably is arranged above. The presence of this transparent material, when arranged above the substructures, shelters both the substructures and any object sheltered by the arch from environmental conditions, such as wind and rain. The presence of the transparent layer of material may therefore further contribute to the control of the environment defined by the arch structure.

The layer of transparent material may be glass. A space may be provided between the substructures forming the arch and the transparent layer suitable for cleaning of the transparent layer. The presence of a space between the transparent layer and the substructure forming the arch may allow the aesthetic appeal of both the transparent layer and the substructures to be maintained.

The connection between adjacent substructures may further comprise a support member. The layer of transparent material may be supported by the support member. This arrangement allows the spacing between the layer of substructures and the transparent layer to be achieved. Although the spacing between the arch and the transparent layer is preferably large enough to allow access to the bottom of the transparent layer by a person, the spacing may only be large enough for water to be applied to the transparent layer during cleaning of the arch.

The arch may be suitable for covering a building. In this case, the arch may be large enough to completely shelter the building from environmental effects such as wind and rain.

The arch may form part of the building, where the building is a least one of a dwelling, a commercial building, a medical building, educational building, a government building, an industrial building, a parking structure or a religious building.

The method may further comprise assembling at least one row in a first orientation in which all of the substructures are arranged such that their central axes are horizontal, rotating the at least one row about a horizontal axis to bring the row into a required position within the final form of the arch. The required position may result in the central axes of the substructures being approximately in the vertical plane of the arch. This method may be repeated for a plurality of sets of at least one row that are successively formed in the first orientation and connected to one another when each set of at least one row is rotated into its required position within the arch.

This method allows the arch structure to simply be constructed by the raising rows of the arch from ground level rather than using framework to support the arch before it is completed. The method may not require the raising of large or heavy sections of the arch because the arch can be assembled in a number of smaller sections. Forming the arch in sections on the ground also means that each individual substructure does not need to be raised from ground level and connected in the air.

The method may further comprise arranging the plurality of sub-structures that will be used to form the row on a removable supporting structure during the process of connecting the plurality of sub-structures to form the row. During this process, the removable supporting structure, or formwork, may support the sub-structures in their required positions while they are not yet connected to form a self-supporting arch or portion thereof. The removable supporting structure may subsequently be removed after the plurality of sub-structures have been connected together to form a row. This process may be repeated for a plurality of sets of the at least one row that are formed on the supporting structure to form the arch.

Forming the arch is this way allows the arch structure to be constructed accurately and only requires single sub-structures to be raised off of the ground at a time. The removable supporting structure may be provided that supports the complete arch during construction. Alternatively, it may be arranged only to support one or more rows during their assembly and then moved horizontally to a new position in which it now longer supports at least one row but in which at least one new row may be assembled supported by the removable supporting structure. In such an arrangement, a relatively small supporting structure can be used to assemble a larger arch structure. In an arrangement, the removable supporting structure may be mounted on rails that support it and facilitate the horizontal movement of the removable supporting structure.

The following Figures depict examples of arches or parts of an arch according to the present invention. However, they do not represent the only way that an arch according to the present invention could be structured and should thus be considered as examples to assist in understanding the invention.

Figure 1 shows an example of an arch according to the present invention arranged over a building.

Figure 2 shows an alternative view of the example of an arch shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a plan view of an example of an arrangement of substructures and connection members.

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a further example of an arrangement of substructures and connection members.

Figure 5 shows an example of a connection member between two substructures.

Figure 6 shows an example of a construction method of an arch according to the present invention.

Figure 7 shows an example of a section of an arch according to the present invention comprising an arrangement of substructures and a transparent layer.

Figure 8 shows an alternative view of the example of a section of an arch shown in figure 7.

Figure 9 shows a further example of an arrangement of substructures and a transparent layer according to the present invention.

Figure 1 depicts an example of an arch 2 according to the present invention arranged over a building 2. As is shown in Figure 1, the arch 2 is made up from a number of substructures 3 each having a cylindrical outer surface. The substructures 3 are arranged in such a way that they form a single layer which forms the arch 2 over the building 1.

The arch 2 forms a curved surface which may be symmetrical about a central point on the arch 2. The curved surface of the arch extends from the central point on both sides to the ground on which the arch 2 is placed. The curved surface on each side of the central point thus defines an opening underneath the arch 2 in which the building 1 is located.

The axis of each cylindrical substructure 3 forming the arch are arranged such that the central axis defined by the surface of each substructure 3 is perpendicular to the neutral axis of the arch 2 at a point where the central axis and the neutral axis intersect.

The substructures 3 have a cylindrical outer surface. This means that the central axis defined by the surface of each substructure is perpendicular to the circular cross-section of the cylindrical surface and is located at the central point of the circular cross-section of the cylindrical surface. It is possible that the substructure 3 may be defined by a different shape. In this case, the position of the central axis would be defined by the cross section of the surface in a similar way.

The neutral axis of an arch 2 may be defined by the forces of compression and tension in the arch. In particular, the neutral axis may be defined so that the points comprising the arch 2 are under compression on one side of the neutral axis and under tension on the other side.

The arrangement of the central axis defined by the substructures 3 and the neutral axis of the arch 2 results in an arrangement in which the substructures 3 form a layer that is arranged to follow a curved surface to form the arch 2 along an arc length of the arch 2 . The central axis defined by each substructure 3 is therefore orientated at a different angle relative to each other substructure 3 in a row making up the arch. Although the arch 2 shown in Figure 1 is formed of a single layer of substructures, multiple layers of substructure 3 could be arranged to form the arch.

The arrangement of the substructures 3 in the arch 2 provides a covering that defines an opening in which the building 1 is located and is covered by the arch 2. In the example shown in Figure 1, the opening defined by the arch 2 is not additionally closed off in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal projection of the arc length of the arch 2. This means that the arch 2 can be freely passed under. However, the opening defined by the arch 2 could be closed off, for example, using further substructures of the same nature of the substructures used to form the arch 2, or by any other material.

The plurality of substructures 3 making up the arch 2 are re-used or recycled washing machine drums or tumble dryer drums. Such components already have a cylindrical shape and large numbers are scrapped each year.

In this case, the plurality of substructures 3 are hollow with an opening at one end and closed at the other end. The plurality of substructures are arranged so that they are open at the end located closest to the inner side of the arch 2, the side of the arch facing the opening defined by the arch.

The re-used or recycled washing machine drums will typically be made of metal, and are usually made of stainless steel or chrome plated steel. Forming the plurality of substructures 3 from these materials results in beneficial absorption and radiation of heat energy within the enclosure formed by the arch 2 due to the reflective properties of these materials. It is preferable that the materials making up the substructures are highly reflective. Forming the arch 2 from substructures made from these materials results in improved control of temperature in the opening defined by the arch. This may reduce the energy consumption necessary to maintain the desired environment in a building within the arch opening.

The use of re-used or recycled washing machine drums provides an environmental benefit to the arch 2 of the present invention. Arches for architectural structures are typically fabricated from materials formed specifically for use in the construction of architectural structures, such as brick, stone or concrete. In contrast to this, because the arch 2 of the present invention is formed using re-used or recycled materials, wastage is reduced because the recycled materials, such as washing machine drums, are not being discarded at the end of their original use. In addition to this, the arch 2 of the present invention represents a further benefit because new materials do not need to be prepared to fabricate the structure, resulting in the saving of energy that would have been used to produce those materials. Re-use of the components in the matter disused above also uses less energy than a recycling option that involves melting scrap drums and reforming the metal into entirely new shapes.

Although above description relates to the re-use of washing machine drums, other re-used or recycled materials may be used. For example re-used or recycled tumble-dryer drums may be used to form the arch 2. Other cylindrical hollow structures, such as oil drums or other storage containers may also be used. Productions vessels from factories, such as storage vessels from chemical, food or drink production may be used. In the event that other cylindrical hollow structures are used, the structures may be made of other metals, such as copper, zinc, brass, bronze or galvanised steel. The cylindrical structures may also be made of other materials, such as fibreglass, carbon fibre or plastic.

The arch 2 may also be made from cylindrical structures that have been modified for use in the arch structure. For example, metal tubing can be cut to form a number of cylindrical structures, which can be sealed at one end to form a cylindrical sub-structure which can be used to form the arch.

In Figure 1, all of the substructures used to form the arch have the same dimensions. However, this may not be the case. For example, it may not be possible to secure a large enough quantity of re-used or recycled washing machine drums to form the arch 2. In this case other drums of a similar shape and/or appearance could be substituted to form some parts of the arch 2. It also may be desirable for a different material to be used at the base of the arch 2 where the arch 2 meets the ground.

Figure 2 shows an alternative view of the example of an arch depicted in Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a plan view of an arrangement of substructures 3 connected together. The substructures 3 forming the arch 2 may be arranged in the manner shown in Figure 3. Each substructure 3 is connected to at least one adjacent substructure in a direction perpendicular to the central axis of each substructure. This arrangement of substructures 3 may extend across the entire arc length of the arch 2 to form a row 4 of substructures.

The substructures 3 may be connected in the row 4 in such a manner that the row of substructures extends in a line. The row 4 may be arranged parallel to the projection of the neutral axis in the horizontal plane of the arch. The horizontal plane of the arch may be the plane which is parallel to the tangent to the surface defined by the arch at the centre point of the arch and/or parallel to the ground. The row 4 can extend for the entire arc length of the arch 2, or may only extend for a partial length of the arch 2.

The row 4 may extend for at least 50% of the arc length of the arch 2, and optionally at least 60%, 70%, 80% or 90% of the arc length of the arch 2. As has been discussed above, the use of stainless steel or chrome plated steel to form the substructures 3 results in improved environmental control within the opening defined by the arch 2. The arch 2 may therefore be arranged such that the row 4 of substructures 3 that form the arch 2 make up the majority of the arc length of the arch 2 to achieve these effects, and it may be desirable to maximize the proportion of the arc length of the arch 2 made up by the row 4 of substructures 3.

The arch 2 may be made up of a plurality of rows 4, 5, 6 of substructures 3 which form the surface of the arch. As shown in Figure 2, a pair of rows 4, 5 of substructures 3 can be connected to each other by a substructure 7 that is similar or identical to the substructures 3 forming the row 4 within the arch 2. Alternatively, the pair of rows 4, 5, may be directly connected together by another connection member. The rows 4, 5, 6 of substructures 3 fundamentally define the shape of the arch 2. The arrangement of rows produces a shape which results in the substructures 3 making up the arch 2 being placed under compressive load, either due to the weight of the arch 2 or due to the weight of an object or further structure supported by the arch 2. A substructure 7 connecting a pair of rows 4, 5 of substructures 3 may be arranged within the arch in a similar manner to the other substructures of the arch. The substructure 7 connecting the the pair of rows 4, 5 of substructures 3 may be arranged within the arch such that the central axis defined by the substructure 7 connecting the pair of rows 4, 5 of substructures 3 is arranged within the arch such that its central axis is perpendicular to the neutral axis of the arch 2 at a point where the central axis of the substructure 7 intersects with the neutral axis of the arch 2. The substructure 7 may be arranged such that its position relative to the central axis of the arch 2 matches the substructures 3 making up the row 4 so that all of the substructures 3 making up the arch 2 produce a continuous surface. A plurality of substructures 7 connecting a pair of rows 4, 5 of substructures 3 may be provided that are connected only to the pair of rows 4, 5 of substructures 3. Accordingly, these substructures 7 may not be connected to each other. The substructures 7 connecting the pair of rows 4, 5 of substructures 3 do not form a continuous row of substructures, as shown in Figure 3. Instead, they are arranged to form a discontinuous arrangement, having gaps within the layer of substructures 3 making up the surface of the arch 2. Providing such gaps may be advantageous as it may allow access to other layers that may be disposed above or below the surface formed by the substructures 3 through the layer of substructures 3 forming the arch 2. Such an arrangement may facilitate inspection and/or maintenance of the structure in use.

As shown in Figure 3, each substructure 3 may be connected to at least two adjacent substructures, for example to form part of a row 4, 5 by a connection member 8.

At least one connection member 8 may be formed as a hollow tube 9. The hollow tube 9 may be disposed between two adjacent substructures 3 with an axis defined by the length of the tube 9 approximately parallel to the axis defined by the cylindrical surface of the adjacent substructures 3. Each adjacent substructure 3 may be attached to the hollow tube 9 by the use of fasteners, such as bolts, screws or rivets. In this arrangement the hollow tube 9 may bear a compressive load of the arch 2, for example passing the compressive load of the arch 2 from one substructure 3 in a row 4, 5 to an adjacent substructure in the row 4, 5.

Additionally or alternatively, at least one connection member 8 may be formed as a pair of hollow tubes 10. In this arrangement, the two hollow tubes 10 are provided between adjacent substructures 3 with the axis defined by the length of each of the hollow tubes being approximately parallel to the axis defined by the surface of the substructures 3. The two hollow tubes 10 may be attached to both the adjacent substructures in a similar way to the single hollow tube 9, or they may be attached in a different way.

The connection member 8 may further comprise a support member 11. In a connection arrangement as described above, the support member 11 may be disposed between the two hollow tubes 10. The support member may extend beyond the surface of the arch 2 as defined by the adjacent substructures 3 and may be arranged so that the axis defined by the length of the support member 11 is approximately parallel to the axis defined by the surface of the adjacent substructures 3. The support member 11 may be coupled to the connection between the two substructures 3 by suitable fasteners.

Figure 4 shows an example of a perspective view of an arrangement of substructures 3 and connection members 8 comprising hollow tubes 10 and support members 11. In this arrangement, the support member 11 divides into a number of sub-supports at a point above the surface of the arch 2 as defined by the adjacent substructure 3. The sub-supports may be integrally formed with the section of the support member 11 disposed between the hollow tubes 10, or they may be formed separately and subsequently attached. The support member 11 may comprise any number of sub-supports.

Figure 5 shows an example of a connection member 8 between two substructures 3. A structural mastic compound 13 may be disposed between the connection member 8 and each of the adjacent substructures 3. The structural mastic compound 13 is initially viscous and may be placed between the connection member 8 and the substructure 3 before the final alignment of the connection member 8 to the substructure 3 is made. The structural mastic compound 8 subsequently hardens and may bear compressive load in the structure in which the connection member 8 and substructures 3 are incorporated.

The substructures 3 of the arch 2 may be connected together in a different way. For example, adjacent substructures may be directly connected to each other, for example by fasteners. Alternatively, the connections between the substructures 3 may comprise solid connection members. It should also be appreciated that the connection members need not be oriented in the manner described above.

The arch 2 may be constructed by a method in which a row 4 of the arch 2 comprising a plurality of the substructures 3 having a cylindrical outer surface defining a central axis are assembled at ground level. The plurality of substructures 3 may be arranged in the row 4 of the arch 2 and connected together in such a manner that when the arch 2 is assembled, each substructure 3 contributes to the compressive strength of the arch 2 and is arranged within the arch 2 so that the central axis of the substructure 3 is perpendicular to the neutral axis of the arch 2 at a point where the central axis of the substructure 3 intercepts with the neutral axis of the arch 2. The plurality of substructures 3 making up the row 4 of arch 2 may be connected together in the manner described above, or they may be connected together in a different way, for example by temporary connection methods that may be removed once the arch 2 has been assembled.

The row 4 may be orientated on the ground so that the central axis defined by the cylindrical surface of each substructure 3 forming the section of the arch 2 are in the horizontal plane. The row 4 may then be rotated about a horizontal plane to raise the row 4 into a position to form the arch 2. The row 4 may be pivoted into a position in which the central axis defined by the cylindrical surface of each substructure are arranged approximately in the vertical plane.

The row 4 may then be connected to a further row that has already been arranged in the vertical plane using the method described above, or by a different method, to form the arch 2. This process may be repeated any number of times to form the arch 2. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of rows 4, 5 may be assembled at ground level and connected together before being rotated into position.

There are a number of methods that may be used to rotate the row 4 about a horizontal plane. For example, a substructure 3 in the row 4 may be raised, for example by a crane or pulley system, causing the row 4 to rotate about the horizontal plane.

This method of construction avoids the need to provide framework to support the weight of the arch while it is being assembled. This method of construction also minimises the connections that must be made when the row 4 or plurality of rows 4,5 of substructures 3 are arranged vertically, and instead allows substructures 3 making up the row 4 or plurality of rows 4,5 to be connected simply on the ground. The method of forming the arch 2 therefore leads to improved efficiencies in the construction of the arch 2.

However, the method of construction may also use a framework or removable supporting structure 20 to construct the arch 2. Figure 6 shows an example of such a method of construction. The removable supporting structure 20 may be used to support a plurality of substructures 3 in their required positions to form a row during the process of connecting adjacent substructures together to form the row 4. The removable supporting structure 20 may then be removed. A plurality of rows 4, 5 may be formed in this way and connected together to form the arch 2.

When this method is used, the removable supporting structure 20 may be sufficiently large to support all the rows required to form the arch. In another arrangement it may only support a small number of rows or a single row during assembly of those rows. In this case, after one or more rows have been formed on the removable supporting structure 20, the removable supporting structure 20 may be moved in a horizontal direction from underneath at least one row. At least one new row may then be formed on the removable supporting structure 20 adjacent to and connected to the already-formed at least one row. The removable support structure 20 may then be again moved in a horizontal direction, and this process may be repeated to form the arch 2.

Forming the arch 2 in this way allows the use of a supporting structure than is much smaller than the arch 2. This reduces the material and time required to construct the supporting structure 20 and simplifies the construction of the arch 2.

The removable supporting structure 20 may be mounted on rails 21. The rails 21 may ensure that the removable supporting structure 20 is stably supported on the ground and facilitate the horizontal movement of the removable support structure 20 after formation of successive sections of the arch 2.

Figure 7 shows an example of a part of an arch 2 according to the present invention. A layer of transparent material 12 is arranged across the surface of the arch 2 defined by the substructures 3. The transparent layer 12 is arranged on the support members 11 that form part of the connection between the substructures 3 defining the surface of the arch. The transparent layer 12 may rest directly on the support member 11, or may be attached to the support member 11 by a fastener. Alternatively, the support member 11 may extend through the transparent layer 12 and be attached to the transparent layer 12 by a fastener arranged on the far side of the transparent layer 12 to the substructures 3 forming the arch 2.

The transparent layer 12 may extend across the entire surface of the arch. The transparent layer 12 provides further environmental protection to the opening defined by the arch. In particular, the transparent layer 12 prevents rain or wind from falling on the substructures 3 defining the surface of the arch 2 or into the opening defined by the arch 2.

The transparent layer 12 may be formed from glass. Alternatively, any transparent layer with appropriate weather resistant properties may be used. For example, a transparent plastic layer such as Perspex or polycarbonate transparent sheeting could be used. The transparent layer 12 may also be formed from flexible materials such as ETFE transparent membrane or a flexible tensile fabric material. In the case where a flexible material is used to form the transparent layer 12, the flexible material may be stretched between and attached to the support member 11 directly. The support member 11 may form a hoop that connects two connection members 8 and the flexible material may be stretched across multiple support members to form the transparent layer 12. In some arrangements, the transparent layer may be replaced with an opaque flexible fabric material such as PTFE coated glass cloth or polyester.

The transparent layer 12 may be arranged across the surface of the arch 2 defined by the substructures 3 in separate sections and is therefore may not continuous across the surface of the arch 2 . The sections of the transparent layer 12 may directly abut one another so there is no gap between adjacent sections of the transparent layer 12, to prevent water from entering the enclosure formed by the arch 2. When the transparent layer 12 is formed from separate sections, if the support member 11 comprises a number of sub-supports, each subsupport of a support member 11 may support a different section of the transparent layer.

Figure 8 shows an alternative view of the part of the arch 2 shown in Figure 7.

Figure 9 shows an alternative schematic view of the transparent layer 12 formed above a plurality of rows 4, 5 of substructures 3. A space is provided between the transparent layer 12 and the rows 4, 5 of substructures which allow for the transparent layer 12 to be accessed through the rows 4, 5 of substructures 3 and to be cleaned. However, the spacing may not be as large as that shown in Figure 4. For example, the spacing between the transparent layer 12 and the rows 4, 5 of substructures 3 may only be large enough for water to be sprayed between the transparent layer 12 and the rows 4, 5 of substructures 3.

The method of constructing the arch 2 may further comprise, when the section of substructures 3 is connected together, forming the connection between at least one pair of adjacent substructures with a connection member 8 that includes a support member 11.

The transparent layer 12 may be fixed to the support member before the section of the arch 2 is raised into place. This method leads to improved efficiencies in the construction of the arch 2, as the transparent layer 12 can be fixed in place accurately while the section of the arch 2 is on the ground.

The arch 2 of the present invention is intended to cover a building 1. However, the size of the building 1 that is covered by the arch 2 can vary.

The building covered by the arch may vary in its use. For example, the building 1 may be a dwelling, for example a house, a block of flats, or any other building for the use of housing. The building 1 may also be a commercial building, such as a shop, a warehouse or any other building for the purpose of commerce. The building 1 may also be an educational building, such as a school or a library. Other types of building may also be covered by the arch 2, such as government buildings, industrial buildings, parking structures or religious buildings.

Claims

1. An arch for an architectural structure, comprising: a plurality of sub-structures, each having a cylindrical outer surface defining a central axis of each sub-structure; wherein each sub-structure contributes to the compressive strength of the arch and is arranged within the arch such that the central axis of the substructure is perpendicular to the neutral axis of the arch at the point where the central axis of the sub-structure intersects with the neutral axis of the arch; and the plurality of sub-structures are re-used washing machine drums or reused tumble dryer drums.

2. The arch according to any preceding claim, wherein the plurality of sub-structures are open at an end located closest to the inner side of the arch.

3. The arch according to any preceding claim, wherein the plurality of sub-structures are made of stainless steel or chrome plated steel.

4. The arch according to any preceding claim, wherein all of the sub-structures in the arch have the same dimensions.

5. The arch according to any preceding claim, wherein each sub-structure is connected to an adjacent sub-structure in a direction perpendicular to the central axis of each sub-structure.

6. The arch according to any preceding claim, wherein a plurality of sub-structures are arranged in a row, wherein the projection of the row in the horizontal plane of the arch is parallel to the projection of the neutral axis in the horizontal plane of the arch.

7. The arch according to claim 6, wherein said row of sub-structures extends for at least 50% of the arc length of the arch, optionally at least 60% of the arc length of the arch, optionally at least 70% of the arc length of the arch, optionally 80% of the arc length of the arch and optionally at least 90% of the arc length of the arch.

8. The arch according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the arch comprises a plurality of rows of sub-structures arranged parallel to one another.

9. The arch according to claim 8, wherein a first row of sub-structures is connected to a second row of sub-structures.

10. The arch according to claim 9, wherein the first row of sub-structures and the second row of sub-structures are connected by a plurality of connectors, arranged between the first and second rows of sub-structures along an axis parallel to the projection of the arc length of the arch in the horizontal plane; and the arrangement of the connectors is discontinuous so that a space is provided between adjacent connectors.

11. The arch according to claim 10, wherein the connectors connecting the first row of sub-structures to the second row of sub-structures are a plurality of sub-structures each having a cylindrical outer surface defining a central axis of each sub-structure and arranged within the arch such that the central axis of the sub-structures is perpendicular to the neutral axis of the arch at the point where the central axis of the sub-structure intersects with the neutral axis of the arch.

12. The arch according to any one of claims 6 to 11, wherein the connection between sub-structures within a row comprises a connection member; wherein the connection member is connected to each of the adjacent substructures by at least one fastener; and wherein the connection member bears a compressive load.

13. The arch according to any preceding claim, further comprising; a layer of transparent material structurally supported by the arch.

14. The arch according claim 13 wherein the layer of transparent material is formed from glass.

15. The arch according claims 13 to 14 when dependant on claim 12, wherein at least one connection between adjacent sub-structures further comprises a support member; and the layer of transparent material is supported by the support member.

16. A building comprising the arch of any preceding claim, wherein the building is at least one of a dwelling, a commercial building, a medical building, an educational building, a government building, an industrial building, a parking structure or a religious building.

17. A method of assembling an arch for an architectural structure, the method comprising: connecting a plurality of sub-structures to form a row, in which each substructure has a cylindrical outer surface defining a central axis of each sub-structure and the row is arranged along an arc such that the central axis of each sub-structure is perpendicular to the arc at a point where the centre axis of the sub-structure and the arc intersect; wherein the plurality of sub-structures are re-used washing machine drums or re-used tumble dryer drums.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one row is assembled in a first orientation in which all of the sub-structures are arranged so that their central axes are horizontal; the method further comprising rotating the assembled at least one row about a horizontal axis to bring the row into a required position within the arch

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the arch is formed from a plurality of sets of at least one row that are successively formed in the first orientation and connected to one another when each set of the at least one row is rotated into its required position within the arch.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the plurality of sub-structures forming the row are arranged on a removable supporting structure that supports the substructures in their required positions while the sub-structures are connected together to form the row.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the arch is formed from a plurality of sets of at least one row that are successively formed on the removable supporting structure and connected to one another.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein after formation of one or more rows, the removable supporting structure is moved horizontally to a position in which at least one row is no longer supported by the removable supporting structure and in which at least one new row may be formed supported by the removable supporting structure.