Building structure
US4285174A · kind A · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 23, 1979 |
| Grant date | Aug 25, 1981 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 23, 1999 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
- CPC primaryE04B2001/3288
- WIPO fieldCivil engineering
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
The object of the invention is to provide a building structure (1) that is free-standing, clear-span, for bulk storage of materials such as fertilizer, salt, sand, grain, coal, any granular-type material that must be covered and the like. The structural uniqueness of the interface joint (21) of the building structure (1) permits such building to be of variable straight-line, convex, concave profiles, or combinations of such profiles, to spatially accommodate not only materials to be stored, but also equipment to prepare such materials for storage. Said building structure (1) has a series of frustums, with each frustum being in and of itself an independent and self-supporting structure and with each frustum having a plurality of trapezoidal-shaped panels (5) having bottom and top plates (7) and (9). The panels (5) of a lower frustum are joined to the panels (5) of an upper frustum through their interface joints (21) of respective mating top plates (9) and bottom plates (7). Each top plate (9) forms with its panel (5) an interior angle (23) greater than 90 degrees and the planes of the interface joints (21) of such joined-together top and bottom plates (9) and (7) all lie below and o…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.