Reversible air supported structure

Claim 2

An air supported structure having a reversible wall portion symmetrical about a given axis, said wall portion including a pair of wall members selectively reversible as inner and outer wall members, each said wall member including valve means operable to close to venting of internal air pressure when such wall member is disposed as an outer wall member and operable when such wall member is disposed as an inner wall member to permit internal air pressures to pass therethrough and into engagement with the inner surface of the outer wall member and to provide substantially equal air pressure on both the inner and outer surface of the inner wall member, each wall member having characteristic ability when serving as an outer wall member to separate from the wall member serving as an inner wall member in a bulge-like manner on application of internal air pressures to the inner surface of such wall member serving as an outer wall member to provide a substantially dead air space between the inner and outer wall members.

Claim 3

An air supported structure having a reversible wall portion symmetrical about a given axis, said wall portion including a pair of wall members selectively reversible as inner and outer wall members, said wall portion including a plurality of panels interconnected together in an edge to edge relation, at least some wall portion of at least some of said panels including a pair of wall members selectively reversible as inner and outer wall members, the side edges of said wall member being disposed with respect to each other to define an enclosed area therebetween, each said wall member including valve means operable to close to venting of internal air pressures when such wall member is disposed as an outer wall member and operable when such wall member is disposed as an inner wall member to permit internal air pressures to pass therethrough and into said enclosed area to provide substantially zero pressure differential across the wall member disposed as an inner wall member, each said wall member having characteristic ability when serving as an outer wall member to separate from the wall member serving as an inner member in a bulge-like manner on introduction of internal air pressure into said enclosed area.

Claim 4

An air supported structure having a reversible wall portion symmetrical about a given axis, said wall portion including a pair of wall members selectively reversible as inner and outer wall members, said wall portion including a plurality of panels interconnected together in an edge to edge relation, at least some wall portion of at least some of said panels including a pair of wall members selectively reversible as inner and outer wall members, the side edges of said wall member being disposed with respect to each other to define an enclosed area therebetween, each said wall member including valve means operable to close to venting of internal air pressures when such wall member is disposed as an outer wall member and operable when such wall member is disposed as an inner wall member to permit internal air pressures to pass therethrough and into said enclosed area to provide substantially zero pressure differential across the wall member disposed as an inner wall member, each said wall member having characteristic ability when serving as an outer wall member to separate from the wall member serving as an inner member in a bulge-like manner on introduction of internal air pressure into said enclosed area.

Claim 5

An air supported structure as specified in claim 2 wherein the outer edge portions of said wall members are joined in adjacent seams, and strap means for securing the air supported structure in place, said seams including means for extension of said strap means to the appropriate side of said wall portion for restraint purpose in both reversible positions of said wall members.