US3516472A - Expandable roofs formed by plates - Google Patents

Description

June 23, 1970 s. M. ZVEIBIL 3,516,472

EXPANDABLE ROQFS FORMED BY PLATES Filed Dec. 26, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.|

- /NVE/VTO/-?. Salvador Mutheus Zveibil ATTORNEYS June 23, 1970 s. M. ZVEIBIL 3,515,472

EXPANDABLE ROOFS FORMED BY PLATES Filed Dec. 26, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATToRN EYs.

June 23, 1970 s. M. ZVEIBIL 3,516,472

EXPANDABLE ROOFS FORMED BY PLATES Filed Dec. 26, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I I 1 I I I I r I I I 1 I I I I I I I I I1 I II II II II II I 1 1 1 I I r I I I I I I I I I I 1 l 1 1 I I 1 r 1-);

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/NVEN7 '0/f? Solvodor Motheus Zvelbll ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent Office 3,516,472 Patented June 23, 1970 3,516,472 EXPANDABLE ROOFS FORMED BY PLATES Salvador M. Zveibil, P.O. Central Postal 12800, Sao Paulo, Brazil Filed Dec. 26, 1967, Ser. No. 693,654 Int. Cl. E04f 10/10 U.S. Cl. 160-136 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A roof that is supported by rods in the form of a parallelogram, the rods being pivotally connected at the crossing points so that they are expandable to rectilinear form or collapsible to a substantially linear form always retaining the shape of a parallelogram; a series of nestable plates each pivotably connected to one pair of parallel rods provides the cover of the roof.

The invention relates to an expandable or collapsible roof formed by rigid plates superposed along the long edges and with any transverse profile whatsoever, for instance, in S or Z form, undulated or even flat, giving the impression, when expanded, of an ordinary roof. These plates, however, are mounted on a mobile infrastructure articulated in a parallelogramic form and connected by means of several series of parallel pivots, in such a way that said plates gyrate independently one of the other, however with coordinated and harmonious movements corresponding to the parallelogramic displacement of the infrastructure.

In this way, the plates can be grouped together or closed at one side, forming a compact and recoiled or nested superposed series of plates, and having a large retraction coeificient; sometimes fifteen or twenty plates are nested over a single one; as a result, the closed or nested series is the shape of a single plate with only the lateral protuberance produced by the gyration.

According to the invention several series or groups of pivoting means comprising angular pieces are provided between pivoting supports, a first group of such angular pieces connects the plates to two or more bars, a second group connects the bars to two or more supporting arms, the supporting arms, per se, are angular pieces for connecting to a wall; thus this roof provides for a parallelogramic gyration where everything rotates horizontally, producing an indifferent equilibrium during gyration, that is, no strain for the operator even when dealing with gigantic units.

It is possible, however, to obtain with the proper selection of the gyration directions of the many groups of pivots, the most curious and different effects of inclining or rotating movement of the plates or arms, during gyration. For instance: in the totally open position, de pending on how the pivoting means are constructed, the plates may form large openings between themselves or form a perfectly closed superstructure, and the opposite or the same simultaneously, in the closed position.

The fact that the mechanism is entirely on pivots, makes it simple and wearproof, not subject to failures. There fore, it is very appropriate for roofs and awnings of long life.

The freedom of shape of the plates permits the choice from the most elaborate and beautiful S or Z plate-forms for elegante purposes, to the most economical undulated plate-forms for agricultural and industrial purposes.

The attached drawings show, by way of illustration, and not for purposes of restriction, the improvements in question.

FIG. I shows schematically a front view of the roof.

FIG. -II is a lateral schematic view. Both FIGS. I and II include the principal elements of the inventive idea herein claimed.

FIG. III is a schematic of the vectorial directions of the principal rotation axes.

FIG. IV is a perspective of the roof, showing, in sketch form, its composition.

FIG. V is a repetition of the previous figure, however, with components shown separately.

FIG. VI is a schematic of the parallelogramic motion of the mobile structure as well as the covering plates.

FIG. VII shows in detail the gyration and motion of the covering plates.

FIG. VIII is a perspective view of the complete roof.

FIG. IX is a front view showing the roof completely closed.

FIG. X shows the profile of one type of plate.

'FIG. XI is a detail of the tying up of the covering plates to each other, when expanded.

The expandable roof is composed of two or more supporting arms 1, of covering plates 8 and intermediate supporting elements 6 for the purpose of obtaining a parallelogramic rotating movement of the unit.

These arms 1, frontally mounted as by hinge supports 2 and in perfect alignment with respect to the vertical wall or pillar, define a supporting plane or area which is not necessarily straight but takes a position according to the external form desired for the roof. This supporting plane forms with the axis of the hinge 2 an angle a (see FIG. II) which is not necessarily with respect to the rotation axes oriented to a determined direction A which, as shown, is not necessarily vertical. Each of the arms 1, is provided with a number of bores 3 adapted to receive L-shaped pins 5 in parallel and located in homologous points, all in a B direction (see FIG. II) forming an angle of any kind which, however, is more or less consistent with the A direction. These bores 3 and pins 5 receive the structural elements 4 of the roof which are supported on them.

The roof is provided with two or more of such transverse supporting bars 4 which are similar and mounted in parallel with respect to the vertical wall or pillar and, therefore, said bars 4 extend transversally with respect to the arms 1. These bars 4 are linked to the arms 1 by means of said L-shaped pins 5 at all the crossing points, one of the legs of each L rod pivoting in an arm 1 at the indicated inserting points of B direction, and the other leg of each L rod pivoting in the transversal bars 4 in a constant direction-not necessarily perpendicular to them, forming the two legs of this L, that is, the two pivoting directions at an angle b which is not necessarily 90. The referred to transverse bars 4 are provided with a number of bores 6 which are parallel and uniformly spaced, all oriented to a C direction (see FIG. II) of any kind, these bores being for the purpose of inserting and articulating the plate supports.

The roof covering in closed position, is formed by plates 8 which may be rectilinear or any other desired shape, and which have the rear edge of one plate resting on the front edge of the previous plate of the series, the entire series corresponding in length and approximately in profile to the area defined by the arms 1. These plates are mounted transversally to the supporting bars 4 and, therefore, frontally to the vertical wall, each plate being fixed to the supporting bars 4 in all crossing points by means of articulatable L-shaped pins 7, one leg of the L rods 7 being transverse with respect to the plates 8 and the other leg being inserted and articulated on the bores 6 (indicated in the C direction) of the supporting line of transverse bars 4. The two legs of the L-rods or pins 7 form an angle c (see FIG. I) which is not 3 necessarily 90 but can be any desired angle which forms an L. e

Finally, there are provided means for reciprocally hooking the plates 8 (FIG. XI), which in the expanded position tie the rear edges of the plates to the front edges of the next consecutive plate in the series by themselves or through respective supports.

Principal advantages of the expandable roof:

(a) It permits covering of large spaces, reducing the number of pillars, since the transversal bars 4, leaning as they are on the supporting arms 1, jump easily the distances assuring a firm support of the roof. An extremely light roof is obtained, which is operated with a minimum effort;

(b) The roof plates 8, being mounted somewhat perpendicular to the wall, form, when closed, a single plane, practically without mendings, allowing for the easy and quick flow of rain water and even snow. The union of the plates between themselves may be complemented by one single piece;

(c) The sets of articulable pins provide for relative motion of the plates in the horizontal plane, both for opening and closing, by a simple gyration effect, considering that the center of gravity does not change. Thus the remarkable facility with which the whole roof can be moved;

(d) The choice of the A, B, and C, directions as well as the a, b, and c angles, offers effects of relative movement, with preferential tendencies of stabilization in certain points of the course, or of indifferent equilibrium. One may thus obtain, according to the operators will, more or less sun, more or lesse shade, or more or less air in the extreme positions; I

(e) By the tremendous facility with which it is operated, the roof may cover and uncover large areas, without the use of pillars or similars. Its application in industry and agriculture, is relevant;

(f) The connecting of all the elements between themselves, at the end of gyration, produced by the L hooks, provides strong endurance against winds.

In summary, it is claimed as characteristical essential points the following.

I claim:

What is claimed is:

1. An expandable and collapsible roof comprising at least two supporting arms,

means to pivotally mount said arms on a vertical Wall,

at least two transverse supporting bars,

means pivotally mounting said transverse bars onto said supporting arms adjacent the crossing points and in parallel relationship so that said supporting arms and transverse bars form a parallelogram the shape and area of which can be varied from rectilinear to the substantially completely collapsed condition by pivoting said arms,

a series of similarly constructed nestable plates adapted to form the covering of said roof, and, means pivotally mounting each of said nestable plates onto the said transverse supporting bars.

2. The roof as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means pivotally mounting said transverse bars onto said supporting arms comprises L-shaped rods, said supporting arms and transverse bars containing bores to receive a portion of the legs of said L-shaped rods.

3. 'The roof as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means pivotally mounting said nestable plates onto the transverse bars comprise L-shaped rods, each of said transverse bars comprising a series of similarly directed bores, each bore of said series receiving at least a portion of one leg of one of the L-shaped rods, and means on the underside of said plates receiving the other leg of one of said L-shaped rods.

4. The roof as claimed in claim 1 wherein said nestable plates are constructed so that the rear side of one plate of said series catches against the front side of the next adjacent lower plate when the plates are extended.

5. The roof as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plates are curved downwardly.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,492,315 4/ 1924 Walker. 2,556,210 6/ 1951 Obenchain l9 2,572,944 10/1951 Mullin 160*62 2,699,823 1/1955 Zvei-bil 16062 2,930,088 3/1960 Sims 52-76 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner P. C. KANNAN, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 52-75

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