Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Shaped or strengthened by fluid pressure – Comprising spaced – sheetlike members and fluid chamber...
Patent
1992-02-24
1994-04-26
Friedman, Carl D.
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Shaped or strengthened by fluid pressure
Comprising spaced, sheetlike members and fluid chamber...
52 221, 52 218, 114121, 114125, E04H 1520
Patent
active
053055616
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to an inflatable housing structure, and more particularly to an inflatable building which can be used on water to house a boat or other vessel.
Inflatable tubular buildings, with a framework of circular section tubes forming an arch of semi-circular Gothic form, have been known for many decades. These buildings have a high inherent strength due to the bending stiffness of the tubes and the shear stiffness of the joints between the tubes. The inherent mechanical strength of the inflatable tubes is due to pre-tension in the fabric skin caused by internal pressure. The level of pre-tension is selected in dependence on factors such as windage, the self-weight of the building, and the weight of any add-on items. In all cases it has to be ensured that the safety margin of the fabric strength due to internal pressure plus maximum positive bending stresses is not exceeded; furthermore, the fabric pre-tension under maximum bending stresses must not be reduced to zero.
The strength of the building also depends on its anchorage being of a strength which provides sufficient reaction to all applied horizontal and vertical loads. For land-based buildings, ground reactions are provided by means of fixtures such as pegs, stakes and guy ropes; in addition, the ground obviously provides a reaction to the weight of the building.
Existing structures, however, are unsuitable for use on water since they would be unstable. The present invention seeks to overcome this problem. The present invention also seeks to provide a structure of which the height in the water can be adjusted.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,004,380 discloses an air supported double wall structure for use on the ground and having water ballasts 30, 120. In view of its construction, however, the structure would immediately collapse if placed on water.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,137,307 discloses an air supported frame, one end of which is arranged to be supported by water. Canadian Patent 1182375 discloses a housing for use on land having walls comprising inflatable ribs and water as a ballast medium.
According to the first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of housing a floating vessel characterised in that it comprises placing the vessel in a floating structure which has inflatable walls, water-ballast receiving means at or adjacent the foot of at least one of the walls, and adjustment means also at or adjacent the foot of said wall for raising and lowering the height of the water ballast.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of adjusting the height of a structure floating on water, the structure comprising inflatable walls with one or more ports at or adjacent the foot of at least one of the walls, the method being characterised in that the height of the structure is lowered by admitting water through a port into the interior of the foot of the wall to form ballast, and the height of the structure is raised by allowing the internal air pressure within the wall to expel the water ballast.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a floating structure with inflatable walls having means at or adjacent the foot thereof for receiving water ballast, the structure being for use in the method according to the first or second aspect, and the structure being characterised in that it comprises one or more ports at or adjacent the foot of at least one of the walls, the ports being arranged at substantially the same height and being connected to tubes of different length which extend downwardly towards or into the water ballast to define water ballast inlets at differing heights.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an inflatable housing structure in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, used in connection with a boat;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged end view of the foot of a wall of the structure of FIG. 1;
FIG.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3137307 (1964-06-01), Scurlock
patent: 3448712 (1969-06-01), Lehmann et al.
patent: 3800735 (1974-04-01), Simpson
patent: 4004380 (1977-01-01), Kwake
patent: 4047390 (1977-09-01), Boyce, II
Friedman Carl D.
Yip Winnie
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