Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – Compound curve structure – Geodesic shape
Patent
1997-12-11
1999-08-17
Kent, Christopher
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
Compound curve structure
Geodesic shape
522362, 522231, 52 811, 52665, 52DIG10, 403176, 403218, E04B 132
Patent
active
059375892
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a rod joint as a construction element in a load-bearing structure. The load-bearing structure serves to support a glass wall or glass roof. The glass wall or roof is composed of many individual panes of glass that are secured in mutual spacing on the load-bearing structure. Glass walls or glass roofs of this kind are used to glass over large areas of building or construction components.
STATE OF THE ART
Known rod joints of the type referred to at the outset are in the form of two rods intersecting one another at right angles or skewed angles. The panes of glass to be secured on such a basic construction have a suitable quadrilateral shape (rhomboid, square or rectangular). In the case of flat load-bearing structures or areas to be glassed over, or a load-bearing structure that is curved in only one direction that is to be covered with glass plates, no structural difficulties arise; the individual panes of glass can be supported and secured, abutting one another at appropriate angles, on the load-bearing structure that correspondingly is curved in a single plane in space. However, glazing surfaces curved in two planes in space present problems, since the intrinsically flat panes of the glass panel then do not rest with their corners simultaneously on all four joints. Where curvatures are slight, the attempt is made to install the glass panes in an elastically deformed way. Where there are problems of greater curvature, suitably predeformed panes, or panes broken along a cracking line, can be used.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Based on this prior art, it is the object of the present invention to provide a way of glazing large-area load-bearing structures, arbitrarily curved in space, without problems.
The invention is characterized in that the rods abut one another, pressing nonpositively against one another, with their end regions, each via a at least one end face region. The end regions of the rods, located in the joint are held, screwed together, between two cover disks. Based on the rod joint known in the prior art, in each of which a plurality of rods can be joined together by a screwed tab connection, the rod joint of the present invention is distinguished in that the rods abut one another by their end regions, each via at least one end face region, exerting pressure nonpositively on one another, and are held screwed together in their end regions, and thus in the region of the rod joint, between two disks. In this embodiment, the pressure forces are transmitted by planar contact between abutting rods. Tensile forces, conversely, are transmitted via the disks screwed together and covering the abutting region on both sides. Bending forces can also be well transmitted. For instance, the tensile and pressure forces arising when a bending moment is broken down, can be transmitted in the way described above in the rod joint either--in the case of tensile forces--by one or the other disk--or in the case of pressure forces--by the end face regions of the abutting plurality of rods.
It has proved advantageous for the end regions of the rods abutting one another at a joint to be embodied with end face regions that taper toward the end. Adjacent rods then abut one another by these end face regions. The structural height in the region of the joint can be kept low as a result.
The fewer the rods that meet at one joint, the slenderer the load-bearing structure proves to be. In joints with four rods, the areas to be covered by panes of glass between the joints are quadrilateral. Since the rods in the region of a joint can meet at different inclinations, the panes of glass can be flat.
The trestle-type construction can also be embodied such that the rod joints enclose triangular areas. Then panes of glass of triangular outline can be used in the glass panel. In each case, one rod of the load-bearing structure is present under each free edge of the pane of glass. Arbitrarily curved load-bearing structures can thus be formed and glassed over. Depending on given
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patent: 3950901 (1976-04-01), Sumner
patent: 3994106 (1976-11-01), Groser et al.
patent: 4244152 (1981-01-01), Harper, Jr.
patent: 4698941 (1987-10-01), Rieder et al.
Helmut Fischer GmbH
Horton-Richardson Yvonne
Kent Christopher
LandOfFree
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