Dome-shaped structure

Claim 2

A structure comprising: a. an annulus adapted to rest on the earth as a foundation; b. a plurality of load bearing ribs extending from one portion of said annulus to a diametrically opposed portion of said annulus; each of said ribs intersecting at a common locus wherein said ribs constitute portions of great circle planes and lie within the great circle arcs that are formed by said great circle planes intersecting a common sphere; each rib being fixedly secured aT said common loucus and said annulus so that all of said ribs are interconnected to provide an integral structure; c. a base adapted to rest on the earth that is concentric to said annulus; d. a roof deck fixedly secured to at least a part of said ribs and extending from said common locus to an approximate small circle that is intermediate said common locus and said annulus; and e. a vertical side covering extending from said base forming an enclosure defining the interior of said structure; said side covering being fixedly secured to said ribs and side base whereby an integral structure is provided.

Claim 3

The structure of claim 1 wherein said vertical side covering comprises a plurality of planer side panels that have vertical edges that are splined together with the adjacent vertical edge of an adjacent side panel whereby an integral structure is provided.

Claim 4

A structure comprising: a. a base; comprising two concrete slabs one of which is an annulus and the other of which is interior and concentric with said annulus; b. a plurality of spherically contoured roof segments extending upwardly from said annulus and together conforming to a polar portion of a common sphere; each roof segment having: i. a pair of load bearing ribs extending upwardly from said annulus beginning at spaced-apart points on said annulus and coverging to a common locus above said base; each rib being fixedly secured at said common locus and to said annulus so that all of said ribs are interconnected to provide an integral structure; each rib having a longitudinal centerline that lies in a great circle arc; ii. a roof deck fixedly secured to at least a part of said ribs to form the roof segments; the ribs of one roof segment being fixedly secured to the adjacent ribs of an adjacent roof segment to form an integral structure; c. a vertical side covering extending from said roof deck to said concentric base forming an enclosure defining the interior of said structure; d. first means disposed between the bottom edge of said side covering and said concentric base securely fixing said side covering to said concentric base; and, e. second means disposed between the upper edge of said side covering and said roof deck whereby an integral structure is provided.

Claim 5

A structure comprising: a. a base; comprising two concrete slabs one of which is an annulus and the other of which is interior and concentric with said annulus; b. a plurality of spherically contoured roof segments extending upwardly from said annulus and together conforming to a polar portion of a common sphere; each roof segment having: i. a pair of load bearing ribs extending upwardly from said annulus beginning at spaced-apart points on said annulus and coverging to a common locus above said base; each rib being fixedly secured at said common locus and to said annulus so that all of said ribs are interconnected to provide an integral structure; each rib having a longitudinal centerline that lies in a great circle arc; ii. a roof deck fixedly secured to at least a part of said ribs to form the roof segments; the ribs of one roof segment being fixedly secured to the adjacent ribs of an adjacent roof segment to form an integral structure; c. a vertical side covering extending from said roof deck to said concentric base forming an enclosure defining the interior of said structure; d. first means disposed between the bottom edge of said side covering and said concentric base securely fixing said side covering to said concentric base; and, e. second means disposed between the upper edge of said side covering and said roof deck whereby an integral structure is provided.

Claim 6

The structure of claim 3 wherein said base has recesses at spaced-apart points therealong into which the base of said ribs are disposed and to which said ribs are fixedly secured.

Claim 7

A dome-shaped building comprising: a. an integral base; b. a plurality of load bearing structural elements each extending upwardly from said base and meeting each other at a common vertex; said structural elements being fixedly secured to said common vertex and to said base so that all of said structural elements are interconnected; said structural elements having longitudinal centerlines that lie approximately in intersecting great circle planes whose line of intersection is substantially perpendicular to said base; c. a roof deck extending over and fixedly secured to said structural elements from the vertex of said structural elements to a small circle intermediate said vertex and said base; d. a vertical side covering extending from said roof deck to said base forming an enclosure defining the interior of said dome-shaped building; said vertical side covering being fixedly secured to said structural elements and said base; e. a channel being disposed between the bottom edge of said vertical side covering and said base for securely fixing said vertical side covering to said base comprising: i. a bottom face engaging said base; ii. opposite side faces meeting said bottom face to form said channel for receiving the bottom edge of said side covering; iii. said side faces having oppositely disposed lips extending inwardly of said channel for supporting said side coverings; and, iv. flanges exterior of said channel extending laterally from said bottom Face being fixedly secured to said base; and, f. a top plate being fixedly secured to and extending between said structural elements; and an intermediate fixing member being fixedly secured to said top plate and the upper edge of said vertical side covering.

Claim 8

A dome-shaped building comprising: a. an integral base; b. a plurality of load bearing structural elements each extending upwardly from said base and meeting each other at a common vertex; said structural elements being fixedly secured to said common vertex and to said base so that all of said structural elements are interconnected; said structural elements having longitudinal centerlines that lie approximately in intersecting great circle planes whose line of intersection is substantially perpendicular to said base; c. a roof deck extending over and fixedly secured to said structural elements from the vertex of said structural elements to a small circle intermediate said vertex and said base; d. a vertical side covering extending from said roof deck to said base forming an enclosure defining the interior of said dome-shaped building; said vertical side covering being fixedly secured to said structural elements and said base; e. a channel being disposed between the bottom edge of said vertical side covering and said base for securely fixing said vertical side covering to said base comprising: i. a bottom face engaging said base; ii. opposite side faces meeting said bottom face to form said channel for receiving the bottom edge of said side covering; iii. said side faces having oppositely disposed lips extending inwardly of said channel for supporting said side coverings; and, iv. flanges exterior of said channel extending laterally from said bottom Face being fixedly secured to said base; and, f. a top plate being fixedly secured to and extending between said structural elements; and an intermediate fixing member being fixedly secured to said top plate and the upper edge of said vertical side covering.

Claim 9

The dome-shaped building of claim 5 wherein said structural elements lie within great circle arc formed by said great circle planes intersecting a common sphere.

Claim 10

The dome-shaped building of claim 5 wherein said structural elements comprise two inverted L-beams that are fastened together to form a singular beam having a T-shape.

Claim 11

The dome-shaped building of claim 5 wherein said roof deck comprises: a. an inner supporting layer; b. an intermediate layer of an insulating material; c. an outer layer of an impervious membrane wherein said layers are bonded together.

Claim 12

The dome-shaped building of claim 5 wherein said side covering comprises a plurality of planar side panels.

Claim 13

The dome-shaped building of claim 9 wherein said side panels have vertical edges that are splined together with the adjacent vertical edges of an adjacent side panel whereby an integral side covering is provided.

Claim 14

The dome-shaped building of claim 5 including a hub disposed at said common vertex; said hub having a plurality of spokes extending radially outwardly from said hub to which said structural elements are securely fixed.

Claim 15

A dome-shaped building comprising: a. an integral base; b. a plurality of load-bearing structural elements each extending upwardly from said base and meeting each other at a common vertex; said structural elements being fixedly secured to said common vertex and to said base so that all of said structural elements are inter-connected; said structural elements having longitudinal centerlines that lie approximately in intersecting great circle planes whose line of intersection is substantially perpendicular to said base; c. a roof deck extending over and fixedly secured to said structural elements from the vertex of said structural elements to a small circle intermediate said vertex in said base; d. a vertical side covering extending from said roof deck to said base forming an enclosure defining the interior of said dome-shaped building; said vertical side covering being fixedly secured to said structural elements and said base whereby an integral structure is provided; and, e. said roof deck comprising an inner supporting layer made of wood; an intermediate layer made of polyurethene foam and an outer layer made of synthetic rubber wherein said layers are chemically bonded together.

Claim 16

A dome-shaped building comprising: a. an integral base; b. a plurality of load-bearing structural elements each extending upwardly from said base and meeting each other at a common vertex; said structural elements being fixedly secured to said common vertex and to said base so that all of said structural elements are inter-connected; said structural elements having longitudinal centerlines that lie approximately in intersecting great circle planes whose line of intersection is substantially perpendicular to said base; c. a roof deck extending over and fixedly secured to said structural elements from the vertex of said structural elements to a small circle intermediate said vertex in said base; d. a vertical side covering extending from said roof deck to said base forming an enclosure defining the interior of said dome-shaped building; said vertical side covering being fixedly secured to said structural elements and said base whereby an integral structure is provided; and, e. said roof deck comprising an inner supporting layer made of wood; an intermediate layer made of polyurethene foam and an outer layer made of synthetic rubber wherein said layers are chemically bonded together.

Claim 17

A dome-shaped building comprising: a. an integral base; b. a plurality of load-bearing structural elements each extending upwardly from said base and meeting each other at a common vertex; said structural elements being fixedly secured to said common vertex and to said base so that all of said structural elements are interconnected; said structural elements having longitudinal centerlines that lie approximately in intersecting great circle planes whose line of intersection is substantially perpendicular to said base; c. a roof deck extending over and fixedly secured to said structural elements from the vertex of said structural elements to a small circle intermediate said vertex in said base; d. a vertical side covering extending from said roof deck to said base forming an enclosure defining the interior of said dome-shaped building; said vertical side covering being fixedly secured to said structural elements and said base whereby an integral structure is provided; said vertical side covering comprising a laminate having an outer layer of asbestos with a thermoplastic facing exposed to the exterior, an intermediate layer of a rigid thermoplastic foam and an inner layer of asbestos wherein said layers are chemically bonded together.

Claim 18

A dome-shaped building comprising: a. an integral base; b. a plurality of load-bearing structural elements each extending upwardly from said base and meeting each other at a common vertex; said structural elements being fixedly secured to said common vertex and to said base so that all of said structural elements are interconnected; said structural elements having longitudinal centerlines that lie approximately in intersecting great circle planes whose line of intersection is substantially perpendicular to said base; c. a roof deck extending over and fixedly secured to said structural elements from the vertex of said structural elements to a small circle intermediate said vertex in said base; d. a vertical side covering extending from said roof deck to said base forming an enclosure defining the interior of said dome-shaped building; said vertical side covering being fixedly secured to said structural elements and said base whereby an integral structure is provided; said vertical side covering comprising a laminate having an outer layer of asbestos with a thermoplastic facing exposed to the exterior, an intermediate layer of a rigid thermoplastic foam and an inner layer of asbestos wherein said layers are chemically bonded together.