Building construction

Claim 2

A domed building construction comprising a plurality of longitudinally tapered panels bowed transversely inwardly to provide a U-shaped transverse cross section and interconnected in end-to-end relationship to form vertically upwardly and radially inwardly extending rows, the panels of each row being of continually decreasing width, whereby each row is upwardly and inwardly tapered, each panel having a pair of flanges which extend outwardly from the longitudinal edges thereof, and the panels of each row being connected in side-by-side relationship with respect to the panels in the laterally adjacent rows with their flanges juxtaposed, and external brace means including a plurality of horizontally disposed brace elements, each brace element having an elongated body and a pair of oppositely disposed transverse end flanges, said brace elements being disposed with the end flanges extending inwardly and connected to the outwardly extending flanges of said inwardly bowed panels.

Claim 3

A domed building construction comprising a plurality of longitudinally tapered panels bowed transversely inwardly and interconnected in end-to-end relationship to form vertically upwardly and radially inwardly extending rows, the panels of each row being of continually decreasing width, whereby each row is upwardly and inwardly tapered, each panel having a pair of flanges which extend outwardly from the longitudinal edges thereof, and the panels of each row being disposed in side-by-side relationship with respect to the panels in the laterally adjacent rows with their flanges juxtaposed, and external brace means including a plurality of horizontally disposed brace elements, each brace element having an elongated body and a pair of oppositely disposed transverse end flanges, each brace element being disposed with its body extending substantially completely across one of said inwardly bowed panels and its end flanges extending inwardly adjacent said juxtaposed panel flanges, and fastener means connecting said juxtaposed panel flanges to each other and to said brace element end flanges and interconnecting adjacent brace elements to form a substantially continuous band encircling the joined rows of panels.

Claim 4

A domed building construction comprising a plurality of longitudinally tapered panels bowed transversely inwardly and interconnected in end-to-end relationship to form vertically upwardly and radially inwardly extending rows, the panels of each row being of continually decreasing width, whereby each row is upwardly and inwardly tapered, each panel having a pair of flanges which extend outwardly from the longitudinal edges thereof, and the panels of each row being disposed in side-by-side relationship with respect to the panels in the laterally adjacent rows with their flanges juxtaposed, and external brace means including a plurality of horizontally disposed brace elements, each brace element having an elongated body and a pair of oppositely disposed transverse end flanges, each brace element being disposed with its body extending substantially completely across one of said inwardly bowed panels and its end flanges extending inwardly adjacent said juxtaposed panel flanges, and fastener means connecting said juxtaposed panel flanges to each other and to said brace element end flanges and interconnecting adjacent brace elements to form a substantially continuous band encircling the joined rows of panels.

Claim 5

The structure of claim 2 wherein the adjacent brace elements overlap and the end flanges thereof are canted with respect to one another, and said fastener means includes a penetrating fastener extending through and interconnecting said end flanges and said panel flanges.