US3035591A - Shelter structure - Google Patents

Description

May 22, 1962 D. 1. PATTI-:N 3,035,591

SHELTER STRUCTURE Filed June l0, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ooooooooooeouo /lV VE N TOR Davia' Patten ATTORNEYS May 22, 1962 D. l. PATTEN 3,035,591

SHELTER STRUCTURE Filed June lO, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR David Paes'nA ATTORNEYS May 22, 1962 D. l. PATTEN 3,035,591

SHELTER STRUCTURE Filed June lO, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 /NVE NTOR Dov/d Patten A TTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,035,591 SHELTER STRUCTURE David Ivy Patten, Box 267, Jonesville, La. Filed June 10, 1960, Ser. No. 35,221 11 Claims. (Cl. 13S- 3) The present invention generally relates to a method of constructing structures useful for shelter purposes. More particularly it is directed toward a type of shelter structure in which an outer protective covering is supported upon a skeleton network of tensioned cable strung over spaced apart compression members and secured to suitable anchoring means.

There are, of course, thousands of different types of structures known in the world today, ranging from pup tents to large oice buildings and amphitheaters. For the most part, such structures require a great deal of labor, expensive materials and a rather long time to erect. There are many instances where low cost, strong structures which can be erected in a very short period of time are needed.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a suitable shelter structure by using two or more compzression members and an anchored cable.

lt is a further object of this invention to provide a shelter having a cable network which is spread over compression members in a tension equalizing relationship for dissipating a strain exerted on one portion thereof to other portions of the structure.

lt is another object of this invention to provide a shelter having an outer covering supported on a one piece cable network in which the segments of the cable Within said network are mounted so as to freely permit longitudinal movement for self adjustment of the tension in each of the individual segments.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a covering, compression members, anchor means, and one or more supporting cables threaded back and forth between said anchoring means and across said compression members for rapidly assembling a portable shelter unit.

A further object of this invention is to provide a shelter of the type having an outer covering and provided with one or more tensioned, cover-supporting cables, anchoring means for said cables, and a supporting frame consisting of compression members, wherein each of said cover-supporting cables is threaded back and forth in the framework between said anchor points for dissipating local stresses throughout the structure and for automatically adjusting for variations in the tension of the Various segments of the cable.

Another object is to provide a method by which a covering may be supported upon a novel tensioned-cable supporting network for building shelter structures characterized by substantial freedom from maintenance, ease of construction, durability, low cost, light materials and high stress resistance.

These and other objects are accomplished by the parts, elements, constructions, arrangements and combinations which comprise the present invention, the nature of which is set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and which is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims forming a part hereof.

ln the drawings, FIGURES 1 3 show a cover-supporting skeleton constructed in accordance with one embodiment of my invention.

FGURE l is a side elevation of the skeleton;

FGURE 2 is a top View;

FIGURE 3 is an end view;

FlGURE 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment 3,035,591 Patented May 22, 1962 ICC of this invention with the sheathing or covering in place;

FIGURE 5 depicts a foldable compression member useful in constructing a portable shelter constructed according to my invention;

ln FIGURE 6 is shown a foot structure for steadying the leg of a compression member upon a dat surface such as the earth.

Three dierent fragmentary views of different type of suitable compression members are shown in FIGURES 7 9;

h 1In FGURE 7 the compression member is provided with oies;

FiGURE 8 shows the inner surface of the compression member provided with AU-shaped retainers;

FGURE 9 discloses a compression member having cable engaging notches about its outer surface.

FIGURES lll-l2 show the various forms of cable engaging means.

FIGURE 13 shows friction reducing rollers mounted in notches in the compression members.

FlGURE 14 depicts the inclusion of spring means between the anchor means and the cable engaging means.

ln FlGU-RE l5 there is a showing of a large structure in which two compression members of wide span have been iitted with a plurality of cables, each of said cables being laced back and forth across said compression members and being tensioned between a plurality of anchoring means adjacent said compression members.

FIGURE 16 shows a compression member having the form of the alphabet letter Y with a horizontal bar connecting its upper arms together.

FIGURE `17 shows a compression member having a rectangular shape.

'lhis invention pertains broadly to a structure characterized by the :following essential elements:

(A) Two or more anchoring means with cable securing means affixed thereto, said cable engaging means being adapted to freely permit sliding movement of the cable which passes Ithrough it.

(B) One or more cables, each of which has been threaded through two or more cable engaging means in vsuccessive rotation until a plurality of cable loops have been formed.

(C) One or more compression members stationed at selected points between said cable securing means simultaneously spreading and raising said cable loops in a manner which causes -thern to for-m a Iload distributing and equalizing surface capable of `supporting a cover useful for shelter purposes.

(D) Form-fitting cover means, supported at least in par-t on said cable loops and compression members.

A specific embodiment of my invention, as shown in FIGURES 1 3, employs two anchor means 2 and 3 which may be sunk in concrete ootings 40 and 41 for stability. Cable engaging means 4 and 5 are attached to each anchor means by means of tension adjusting means such as turn- buckles 14 and 15. Between the two anchor means are stationed a pair of compression members 8 and 9, each generally in the form of the letter U inverted. The legs of compression members 8 and 9 are also sunk in concrete footings 12 and 13 as are the anchor means 2 and 3. In this embodiment the compression members 8 and 9 are centered over lan imaginary line between the centers of the anchoring means 2 and 3 and preferably stand in a plane perpendicular to that line.

One end of main supporting cable 6 in one continuous piece is threaded through the cable engaging means 5 and then passed through one of a plurality of holes 27 located on compression member 9 (see FIGURE 3). Next the cable is passed through one of a plurality of holes 26 located on the other compression member 8,

and from this hole to the cable engaging means 4. The cable is then threaded around cable engaging means 4, back through another of the holes 26 in compression member 8, through another of the holes 27 in compression member 9 and "back to the cable enga-ging means 5, through which it is threaded again, whereafter it is ready to be passed through other spaced apart holes in the compression mem-bers S and 9. This process is repeated until the cable has been threaded throughout the structure to the extent necessary to provide a network of cables of suicient area and strength to provide the desired support.

The cable having been manually threaded is in a slackened condition. rIherefore, as much of the slack as possible is removed by pulling on it by hand. Then the loose end is iixedly secured to the nearest cable securing means 4 `or 5. After this is done, the turn-buckles are employed to adjust the cable to the exact tension desired. The skeleton is now complete, except for the possible optional addition of auxiliary cables 10 to aid in supporting the compression members 8 and 9.

The auxiliary cables 10 are secured rixedly to the compression members 8 and 9 and to the cable securing means 4 and 5, and they `aid in preventing -the compression members from twisting or turning. 'I'he auxiliary cables y10 may be secured to the compression members either before or after the main supporting cable 6 is installed. It may also be found necessary under certain circumstances to further secure the compression members, either before, during, or after construction with `guy Wires attached to some fixed object. Since this is a well-known practice to those skilled in the art, it is believed unnecessary to illustrate or further explain the use of guy Wires.

W'hen canvas, sheet metal, mosquito netting, plastic sheeting or any `other lmaterial useful for covering purposes is spread over the resulting skeleton and secured thereto as in FIGURE 4, a light-Weight, quickly erectable, highly durable, inexpensive, and maintenance-free shelter is produced thereby.

This innovation results in a skeleton which possesses much improved characteristics of load `distribution and stresses equalization. By virtue of these desirable characteristics, attributable to my new construction method, it is possible to achieve greater strength than it was possible to achieve in similar structures of the same weight vwhen using former methods of construction.

Specically, the improvement is attributable to the fact that although the ends of the cable 6, are fixed, at no point between the ends of the cable is it restrained, except by ordinary frictional resistance, from longitudinal movement, stretching or slippage. The result is that whenever stress is applied to the cable at any point, either radially or longitudinally, the longitudinal stress generated thereby is dissipated throughout the entire structure because of the ability of the cable to `transmit stresses placed on one portion thereof throughout its entire length.

For example, suppose that one segment of the cable is impressed with an unusual stress due to `wind or accumulations `of snow and ice on the outer skin. Suppose too, that the individual cable segment, is in accordance with prior practice, fixed at each cable securing means. Since lthe cable securing means are unyielding and the cable will be deecte-d a given distance by 'the load, the cable must stretch longitudinally to compensate for the deiiection. -If more and more Weight is added, the deflection and consequent longitudinal stretch will increase until the elastic limit of elongation is reached. When this point is reached, the cable Will either snap, or at the least, be seriously damaged. Thus, it is seen that Ithe maximum load-bearing capacity of the structure is related functionally to the elastic limit `of elongation which is in turn related to the effective length of the loaded segment.

By departing from the old method of employing separated cable segments, lixed to cable securing means, but

unable to transmit stress and strain to other cable segzments, not similarly strained, we have increased the effective length of each segment to the total effective length of the entire cable of which it is a part. As the effective length of a strained segment is thus increased, the maximum deflection it will bear without failing or becoming permanently damaged increases as a function of the effective length. Thus, We obtain an increase in strain resisting ability with no increase in the total footage or diameter of cable used. The footage and diameter of cable remaining the same, the total Weight of cable employed in the structure remains the same. More strain resistance is obtained at no increase in Weight.

We can now reduce the diameter of the cable, sacriiicing some of the added strain resistance we have obtained, and diminishing the total weight of cable needed, but equalling the strain resistance of structures constructed according to prior art methods with greater-diameter, heavier weight cable. Consequently, the Weight of the supporting frames or compression members may also be diminished, since they are no longer required to support as much dead Weight. The resulting reductions in weight conserve raw materials and yield a building of equivalent or greater strength at decreased cost.

Ease of erection is obtained also. When a supporting structure is composed of many individual c-ables, it is necessary to carefully adjust the lengths of the many cables during the course of construction. This is because if some sag more than others, the ones which sag least support a disproportionate share of the weight of the structure, while the ones which sag too much do not deliver their full potential. By virtue of the fact that the unitary cable used in my method is not secured between its end points, the length of the segments between the frame members i8 and 9 is self adjusting.

Having described a preferred embodiment of my invention, I now wish to make it clear that a number of variations can be made without departing from scope of this invention and of the claims appended hereto. For example, it is possible that it will be found desirable to use this invention in a portable form. In that event, it may be found convenient to employ fixed natural objects such as trees 43 or tree stumps 42, as the anchoring means as shown in FIGURE 4. Since it may not always be necessary to carry the cable network down the legs of the compression members as shown in FIGURES 1-3, the cable network may be used to support `only the roof of the shelter as shown in FIGURE 4.

Also, foldable compression members 36, with pivots 38, legs 4S, and holes 26, as shown in FIGURE 5 may be used in place of the non-foldable compression members shown in FIGURES 1, 2, 3 and 15. Of course, it would be impractical to sink the legs of the compression members of the portable model of FIGURE 4 in concrete, as was done in FIGURE 1. Therefore, to lend greater stability to the legs 45 of collapsible compression member 36, a foot structure 34 could be added, similar to that shown in FIGURE 6. Wood, metal or laminated materials are all useful for forming the folding, collapsible or telescoping compression members.

Although in the description of the specific embodiment of my invention shown in FIGURES 1-3, it Was assumed that the cable 6 was threaded through holes 26 and 27 in compression members 8 and 9 which are the same as compression members 8, having holes 26, as shown in FIGURE 7, it might be found convenient not to use holes in the compression member itself. For instance, it might be found more convenient to provide spaced apart U shaped retainers 30 along the inner surface of a frame member 8, -as is shOWn in FIGURE 8. In order to avoid the lengthy process of threading the cable through holes or retainers, notches 28 may be cut in the outer surface of the compression member 8, as shown in FIGURE 9 in order to receive the cable.

A very simple form of cable engaging means is shown in FIGURE l0. It is `a simple ring 4, through which the cable is repeatedly threaded in assembling the skeleton of Y the structure. The ring 4 is inter-locked with one eye 46 of the turn-buckle 14, which is, in turn, secured by its other eye 47 to anchor means 2. Any equivalent, vsuch as a block and tackle, a chain fall, or a mechanical jack may be substituted for the turnbuckle 14.

Although the ring type of cable engaging means is adequate, other variations may be found more advantageous under certain circumstances. Because the compensating movements of the cable are restrained by frictional resistance developed at those points where the cable comes in contact with the cable engaging means or with the compression members 8 and 9 in the holes 26 and 27, or retainers 30, or notches 28, any decrease in friction which may be eected, will result in an increase in the effective length of the cable and a consequent improvement in strain resistance. It will also facilitate the use of the turnbuckle iu removing slack from the cable and promote the maintenance of equal tension throughout the cable network.

Exemplary methods of reducing friction are found in FIGS. 1l and 12 which show two types of friction reducing means. In FIGURE 1l, the ring 4 has been replaced by a triangle 48, one side of which carries a roller 18, about which the cable may be looped. In FIGURE l2 the cable securing means is shown in the form of a multisheave block 19, having a multiplicity of sheaves 20, separated by slip-washers 21 and supported by a frame 23 which is secured directly to the anchor means by a stud 25. One loop of the cable 6 may be wound about each sheave 20.

In order to alleviate friction between the compression members 8 and the cable, the `compression member may be provided with notches 28, in which are rotatably mounted rollers 49 as shown in FIGURE 13. Other means will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art- In some applications, the inclusion of spring means between the cable securing means and the 'anchoring means may prove helpful in alleviating suddenstresses or allowing for expansion `fand contraction with changes in temperature. This is illustrated in FIGURE 14, wherein the spring 50 is located between the cable securing means 4 and turnbuckle 14, which is attached to ianchoring means 2. It may even be desirable in some instances to entirely dispense with the turnbuckle when a spring is employed, but this arrangement, while simpler, has some disadvantages.

The cable itself may -be polyethylene, nylon, stainless steel, rope or any other material which is strong enough to bear the required load. It should be understood also that when the term unitary cable is employed in this application, it is meant to include any combination of pieces of cable which have been spliced Itogether in such -a way that they are able to transmit stress from one to another.

Not only is a variety of materials available for the cable, but the compression members themselves may be built of many different materials, such y-as reinforced or pre-stressed concrete, steel, aluminum, wood and wood laminates, fiberglass reinforced plastic and so forth. Since my method of construction is usable in shelters ranging in size from that of a smml tent for weekend outings up Ito the size of a large sports arena, anyone of the above-named materials may be found useful, depending upon the size of structure being constructed.

Exemplary of the large shelters which may be constructed is the one shown in FIGURE l5. rIn FIGURE l5 there are two compression members 8 and 9, as well as cable engaging means 4, 54, 64, 194, 184 yand 94; anchoring means 2, 52, 62, 192, 82 and 92; and turnbuckles 14, 56, 66, 196, 86 and 96. There is a first tensioned cable threaded back and forth through compression members 8 and 9.

Said rst tensioned cable is designated by the numerals 6 and 53. One end of cable 6-53 is passed through cable engaging means 4, laced across compression members 8 and 9, passed through cable engaging means 94, again laced across compression members 8 and 9, passed through cable engaging means 54, again laced across compression members 8 and 9, through cable securing means 94 `and laced across compression members 8 and 9 to cable securing means 4. I'his process is repeated again and again until sufficient cable has been threaded back and forth a plurality of times to make a cable network suitable for supporting a cover in the area between cable securing means 4, 54 and 94. The cable ends are then secured and the cable is drawn up tight by means of turnbuckles 14, 56 and 96.

A second tensioned cable is designated by the numerals 63 and 53. lOne end of cable 63u73 is passed through cable engaging means 194, laced across compression members 8 and 9, passed through cable engaging means 84, again laced across compression members 8 and 9, passed through cable engaging means 64, laced back across compression members 8 `and 9, passed through cable engaging means 84, and then laced across compression mem-bers Sand 9 to cable engaging means 194. :This process is repeated 'again and again until suflicient cable has been threaded back and forth a plurality of times to make ya. cable network suitable for supporting a cover in the area between cable securing means 64, 84, and 194. The ends of cable 163-73 are then secured, and the cable is drawn up tight with turnbuckles 66, 86 and 196. A cover may now lbe installed over the cable networks comprising cable 6-53 and cable -63-73.

I have now described how two cables may be supported on a single pair of compression members each of said cables being threaded back and forth between anchoring means to form 'a plurality of cable loops laced across said compression members. lSaid cable loops are capable of supporting at least a portion of cover means spread over them yand of transmitting changes in cable length and strain in one portion of the cable to other portions of the structure. Obviously, it would not be a departure from the spirit and scope of this invention to thread three or more instead of two cables back and forth across compression members 8 and 9 so that each of said cables forms a plurality of cable loops laced across said cornpression members. Nor would it lbe a departure from the scope yand spirit of this invention to erect side by side several of the basic units shown in FIGURES 1 3 and then place a single cover over all of them.

The exact size and shape of the compression members need not be limited to the size and shape shown in EIG- URES 1 3. In fact, as long as they are large enough and strong enough to carry out their function in any given embodiment of my invention, the compression members may be of any convenient size and shape. For example, the compression member may be rectangular, as shown in FIGURE 17, in which the numeral 59 points out a square compression member having holes Z7 to receive a supporting cable (not shown) in the same manner that compression member 9 in FIGURE 3 receives miain supporting cable 6 in holes 2.7.

In FIGURE 16 is a showing of a compression member 69 in the form of the alphabet letter Y having a horizontal bar connecting its upper arms. The bar is provided with holes 27 through which a main supporting cable may be threaded in lthe same manner that cable 6 may be passed through holes 26 in U shaped compression member 8 as shown in FIGURE l.

Similarly, the compression members may be in the form of the alphabet letters X, Y or T, land the cable may be threaded through spaced apart holes in their upper arms. Also, the compression members may be in the form of triangles, trapezoids, parallelograms and Ithe like.

Still another modification yshould be discussed. In the description of the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1-3, it will be recalled that the cable ends were tixedly attached to the cable securing means 4 and 5. There is a disadvantage to ixedly securing the cable ends to the 7 cable securing means but lthere is yalso a readily available solution `to the problem. The problem relates to the alleviation of `friction.

With the cable ends lixedly secured to the cable securing means, a strain caused by a deflection of the cable in close proximity to the end thereof can only be dissipated along the length of the cable in a direction away from the nearby xed end. One might conclude that this circumstance has no bearing on erlciency, since the total length of cable on both sides of the deflection is the same. However, the friction losses at each point of friction are not a linear function of length, but are compounded as the length increases. Hence, if all the strain must be dissipated in one direction, a loss in efiiciency occurs.

A solution to this problem is found when instead of iixedly securing the cable ends to the cable securing means, one trims the ends of the cable so that they meet somewhere between the two cable securing means, and they are united or spliced together and so that the cable is thereby rendered endless. Then the stress arising out of the deflection of the cable at any point may be dissipated equally in both diretcions, and the eciency lost by lixing the cable ends is regained.

What is claimed is:

l. in theknown type of shelter structure comprising the combination of a cover and a framework for supporting said cover, the improvement in said framework which comprises:

(a) spaced apart anchoring means,

(b) cable engaging means connected to each of said anchoring means,

(c) spaced apart upright compression members located between said anchoring means,

(d) a length of cable threaded back and forth a plurality of times between said cable engaging means to form a plurality of cable loops laced through said compression members,

(e) said cables being held under tension by said cable engaging means, while also being raised and spread apart by said compression members,

(f) whereby said cable -loops are rendered capable of transmitting to one another variations in the stress upon said cable and thereby dissipating said variations throughout the other portions of said structure.

2. The structure according to claim 1 wherein a tension adjusting means is connected between said anchoring means and said cable engaging means.

3. A structure according to claim l wherein said compression members are rmly embedded in `an anchoring material.

4. A structure according to claim 1 wherein said compression members are provided with a foot member for steadying purposes.

5. A structure according to claim l wherein said compression members are collapsible thereby rendering said structure portable.

6. A structure according to claim l wherein means are provided to reduce friction between said cable and said cable engaging means, Y

7. A structure according to claim 6 wherein the means provided to reduce friction is a ring.

8. A structure according to claim 6 wherein the means provided to reduce friction is a roller.

9. A structure according to claim 6 wherein the means provided to reduce friction is a multi-sheave block.

l0. A structure according to claim 1 wherein means are provided to reduce friction between said cable and said compression members.

1f1. A structure according to claim 10 wherein the means provided to reduce friction is a roller installed in said compression member at the point of cable engagement.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 758,642 Gotsche May 3, 1904 1,057,366 Vaniman Mar. 25, 1913 2,880,741 McGrand Apr. 7, 1959

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