WO1989008172A1

WO1989008172A1 - Three-dimensional structures

Info

Publication number: WO1989008172A1
Application number: PCT/GB1989/000221
Authority: WO
Inventors: Graham Brown
Original assignee: Graham Brown
Priority date: 1988-03-04
Filing date: 1989-03-03
Publication date: 1989-09-08
Also published as: NZ228198A; GB2235479A; GB2235479B; AU3218289A; GB8805183D0; GB9019704D0; EP0406270A1; CA1320812C

Abstract

The three-dimensional structure can be utilized as a building or as a part (e.g. the roof) of a building. The structure comprises three or more elongate beams serially arranged in a closed loop array with one (the lower) end (2) of each beam resting upon the ground (or another support surface) and the other (the upper) and (3) supported upon the next beam in the series at or adjacent its upper end (3). The thicknesses of the beams combine to give height to the structure at its centre.

Description

THREE-DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURES

This invention relates generally to a three- dimensional structure, and more particularly to a structure which can be used as a building structure to form the basis of, for example, permanent or temporary dwellings , communal buildings, etc., or parts thereof. According to the invention there is provided a three-dimensional structure comprising three or more elongate structural members serially arranged in an array wherein each member of the series is supported by or supports the next member of the series. Preferably the array is a closed loop array so that the last member of the series is supported by the first member. As will be explained in the following, the invention provides a three-dimensional structure which is very simple and inherently very strong, and which is aesthetically and architecturally pleasing and can be used in a variety of different ways. In order that the invention may be clearly understood several exemplary embodiments will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein the same reference numerals are used in the various figures for the same or similar parts and wherein:-

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a first exemplary structure according to the invention? Figure 2 shows in more detail a portion of the structure of Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows a plan view of the structure of Figure 1;

Figure 4 shows a plan view of a second exemplary structure according to the invention;

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a building incorporating a structure substantially as shown in Figures 1 to 3 as a roof framework; and

Figure 6 shows a plan view of an exemplary open- loop structure in accordance with the invention.

In Figure 1 nine elongate members 1, serially arrayed as shown, have been used to form a three- dimensional structure in accordance with the invention. Each member of the series is arranged with its lower end 2 resting on a generally flat surface, e.g. the ground, and its upper end 3 passing over the next member of the series so that at a position 4 along each member, referred to as the point of support, the preceding member in the series rests on and is supported by the respective member. As shown more clearly in Figure 2, each member 1 has an angled notch 5 cut out from its underside, towards its upper end 3, which enables it to fit over the member by which it is supported and to lie flat upon it and resists any tendency of the members to slide down their respective supporting members.

The elongate members 1 in the example of Figure 1 are all identical and are arranged so that they are all at the same angular separation, ό, with respect to each other. As is illustrated most clearly in Figure 3, this results in a regular nine-sided space being formed at the centre of the structure produced by the elongate members. By virtue of the fact that the nine members are serially arranged in a closed loop array, that is to say that if any one of the members is regarded as the first member of the series then the last member of the series overlies and rests upon that first member, a completely self-supporting structure is obtained, and by virtue of the fact that the members have a finite dimension in the vertical plane, that is to say they have depth, as illustrated, this arrangement results in the central portion of the structure being raised above its base level, namely the flat surface on which the lower ends 2 of the members are resting, in such a way that the upper ends 3 of the members are all at the same height. Thus, a free-standing and self-supporting three-dimensional structure is created.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a structure obtained by use of only three elongate members substantially as above described. In this example, a triangular central portion is defined by the structure and this central portion is again raised above the surface on which the outermost ends of the members are resting.

The actual height achieved in a structure in accordance with the invention depends upon several parameters including the vertical dimension and the length of the members 1, the number of said members used in the structure, and the locations of the points of support 4 along the length of the members. Clearly, the closer to the upper end 3 that the point of support 4 is chosen, the higher each member will extend above the surface on which the lower ends 2 rest, thus raising the central portion of the structure to a greater height.

Although in the examples above described the elongate structural members 1 have been shown as elongate straight beams of rectangular cross-section, it is to be appreciated that many variations in the shape of the members are possible without departing from the invention. For instance, each member could be curved convexly so that a greater height would be achieved at the innermost ends of the members in a structure covering the same surface area and the structure would take on a domed appearance. Alternatively the members could be curved in a concave manner, so that a relatively small central region of the structure would be raised substantially above the level of the surface on which the members 1 rest. Rather than being curved, the members could be angled so as to have, for example, a triangular profile or a trapezoidal profile. As will readily be appreciated the possibilites are limitless.

A further possible adaptation would be to raise each of the members on a pillar or block or the like, either at its lower end 2 by provision of the pillar or block between the lower end of each member and the ground or other supporting surface which would have the effect of raising the whole structure above the level of the base surface, or at the point of support

.4 by provision of the pillar or block between the overlapping members which would increase the relative height of the central portion in the same way as would be achieved by using members with a greater vertical dimension. A variation on this theme would be to add height in this way only to certain of the members, for example each alternate one, which would create yet another effect, or alternatively to raise different members by varying amounts. Not only could the members be raised up in this way at one end, but also they could be raised up at both ends.

In the foregoing, all of the elongate members have been identical and all equally spaced around the structure. This need not necessarily be the case. For example, the lengths of the different members within a structure could be made different so that, for instance, the plan view of the structure might take on an elliptical appearance. Furthermore, by altering the angular spacing between adjacent members around the structure and by choosing different points of support for different members, the overall shape of the final structure might be altered.

A still further possibility is that by choosing the points of support to be relatively far down each member, i.e. so that the upper end 3 extends a substantial distance beyond the point of support, it is possible to mount a second possibly smaller, similar structure on top of the first, thereby forming a "double-decker" structure. In order for this to be stable, the second structure should perhaps be constructed so that the members thereof overlap in the opposite rotational sense to those of the first structure. The various adaptations discussed above are only examples of the possible variations which could be applied within the scope of the invention, and doubtless many more will readily occur to the appropriately skilled reader hereof.

According to the type of materials chosen for construction, and also the size and shape of the chosen structure, there are many possible applications of the invention and some of these will be discussed below.

One application to which the invention lends itself is for roof construction. The structural members could be made from wood, steel, concrete or any other suitable material and the spaces defined between the members could be covered with any desired roofing material such as tiles, slates or ashphalt for example, if necessary adding a supportive framework between the members for supporting the roofing. Such a roof structure can have various shapes, depending upon the parameters of the structural members as discussed previously. Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a building having a roof structure based on a framework of nine elongate members arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to

3. As shown, the building is in the shape of a regular nonagon with nine supporting uprights 6 and nine wall or door panels 7 supported between respective pairs of adjacent uprights, and the roof of the building comprises nine elongate members 1 supported adjacent their lowermost ends upon blocks 8 provided at the uppermost ends of the uprights 6 and supported upon each other at their upper ends in the manner hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 and with in-fill pieces 9 providing the apex of the roof of the building with a regular appearance. In the roof construction shown the uppermost ends of the elongate members 1 are each supported upon the next member in the series at a position close to the uppermost end thereof so that only a relatively small opening 10 in the centre or apex of the roof is formed, and clearly this is subject to variation. The arrangement shown is particularly pleasing if constructed of timber, cedar for example, and if the roof is tiled with wooden shingles with the apex of the roof (that is to say the central nonagon) glazed so as to act as a central skylight to the building.

A large scale structure according to the invention could be used to form the basis of buildings for many different purposes. As applied to family dwellings for example, the spaces between the elongate members could be divided off by use of partition walling or by any other suitable method to form separate rooms around a central room defined by the central space. Varying sizes of rooms could be obtained by changing the shape, size and/or spacing of the elongate members, and the structure could be roofed over, either fully or in part as desired.

In a similar way, but on a still larger scale, a structure according to the invention could be used for community buildings such as schools, hospitals, old peoples sheltered accommodation, sports complexes, etc. In these cases the space below the central raised area would provide an ideal area for communal activities. Alternatively the central area could be left open to the sky or roofed over with glass to form a courtyard. A similar arrangement might also be suitable for an apartment building or hotel complex, where, for instance, dining facilities might be provided in the central area, surrounded by accommodation units located in the spaces defined between the elongate members. If the elongate members were made of a lightweight material, such as aluminium for example, a structure according to the invention could be adapted for use as an easily assemblable and disassemblable tent frame. On a similar scale, the structure could be used as a greenhouse, summerhouse or conservatory by glazing the spaces between the elongate members. While the invention has been particularly described herein with reference to a closed loop serial array of structural members, the invention could also be embodied in an open loop array though such an arrangement is not preferred and is considered not to be so aesthetically satisfying. An exemplary open loop structure is shown in Figure 6 where reference 11 designates a supporting pillar. The supporting pillar 11 could be replaced, for example, by a spiral or other staircase leading to an upper deck level at the level of the upper ends 3 of the beams 1, or could be omitted and substituted by some form of suspension of the upper end of the first beam. As will be apparent from the preceding description, the applications of the invention are numerous and the invention can be embodied in a multitude of ways to suit the aesthetic or other requirements of the user. The examples described above are but a small selection to give an indication of the ways in which the invention might be used, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way. For example, whereas in the embodiments described individual beans are supported upon each other, in alternative embodiments some or all of the beams might be paralleled by one or more further beams similarly supported. Various other modifications a also possible within the broad ambit of the inventio for example as regards the number or form of t elongate members, their mode of support stabilization at their lower ends, and the way th interact with and are secured to the other elonga members at their upper ends, and all su modifcations are deemed to lie within the broad spir and scope of the present invention.

Claims

ICLAIMS:

1. A three-dimensional structure comprising three or more elongate structural members serially arranged in an array wherein each member of the series is supported by or supports the next member of the series.

2o A structure according to claim 1 wherein said array is a closed loop array so that the first member of the series supports or is supported by the last member.

3. A structure according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said structural members are straight beams of substantially rectangular cross-section.

4. A structure according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said structural members are convexly or concavely shaped, angled or curved.

5. A structure according to any preceding claim wherein said structural members are all similar.

6. A structure according to any preceding claim wherein said structural members are equi-angularly spaced from each other.

7. A structure according to any preceding claim wherein means are provided in said structure for raising up said structural members, at either or both ends thereof.

8. A structure according to any preceding claim wherein said structural members are formed of timber.

9. A building having a roof formed as a three- dimensional structure according to any preceding claim.

10. A three-dimensional structure substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 and 3 of the accompanying drawings, or a building incorporating such a structure, or a building substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.