Roof structure with means to resist lateral forces

Claim 2

A roof structure for a building construction, said building having opposite side walls and opposite end walls, said roof structure having means to assist the building to resist lateral forces imposed on the building, comprising a primary frame means including transversely extending roof beams supported on the side walls, a secondary frame means including a plurality of elongate roof purlins each having a web and being secured on the roof beams substantially transverse to the axes of the roof beams so that said web extends substantially perpendicular to said roof beams, a plurality of roof panels secured on the roof purlins, a plurality of elongate roof brace means each having end faces on the opposite ends thereof which are presented away from each other, each of said end faces being secured to a web of one of a pair of adjacent roof purlins so that each of said brace means is oriented to be substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the roof purlins, said plurality of brace means each transmitting therethrough compressive forces which are applied thereto via the webs of said adjacent purlins so that said pluralilty of brace means prevent rotation of the roof purlins about their longitudinal axes, and means connecting said purlins to said end walls, said roof thus being rigid and able to transmit compressive forces directed substantially perpendicular to said purlin webs and created by lateral forces imposed on the side walls of the building to the end walls, which act in shear to resist the lateral forces, and means securing the panels to the purlins and to one another, including means at opposite ends of the panels to enable relative movement between the panels to thus enable thermal expansion and contraction of the panels even though said roof structure is rigidified.

Claim 3

A roof structure as in claim 1, wherein the building construction is of the pre-engineered, metal type and the roof panels comprise light gauge steel.

Claim 4

A roof structure as in claim 2, wherein a plurality of roof panels are connected end-to-end, and said means on adjacent ends of adjacent panels to enable relative movement between the panels due to thermal expansion and contraction of the panels comprises slotted holes in one end of each panel and round holes in the other end thereof, and a roof brace provided substantially medially of each roof panel to thus rigidify the roof structure to resist the lateral forces imposed on the walls of the building and yet enable thermal expansion and contraction of the roof panels relative to one another.

Claim 5

A roof structure as in claim 1, wherein said roof panels are secured to a plurality of adjacent purlins.

Claim 6

A roof structure as in claim 4, wherein said roof panels are free of direct attachment to the side walls of the building.

Claim 7

A roof structure as in claim 4, wherein said purlins are substantially Z-shaped in transverse cross section and the roof braces are substantially channel-shaped in transverse cross section.

Claim 8

A roof structure as in claim 6, wherein a rectangular plate is welded to each of the ends of each roof brace and fastening means are extended through the plates and adjacent purlins to secure the braces to the purlins.

Claim 9

A roof structure as in claim 1, wherein said roof panels are free of attachment to the side walls and are secured to the end walls, so that lateral forces imposed on the side walls of the building are transferred through the roof panels to the end walls, which act in shear and thus resist the lateral forces.

Claim 10

A roof structure as in claim 6, wherein a channel shaped end member is fixed to each end of each roof brace, said end member including a web and a pair of flanges extending perpendicularly from opposite edges thereof, the ends of said roof braces received between said flanges, and fastening means extended through the web of the plates and through adjacent purlins to secure the braces to the purlins.

Claim 11

A roof structure for a building having opposite side walls and opposite end walls, wherein the roof transfers lateral forces imposed on the side walls of the building to the end walls thereof, which act in shear to resist the forces, said roof structure comprising a primary frame means including a plurality of elongate roof beams extending between the side walls and fixed at opposite ends thereof to the side walls; a secondary frame means including a plurality of elongate roof purlins each having a web and extending between the end walls and fixed at opposite ends thereof to the end walls, said roof purlins extending on top of the roof beams perpendicularly to the axes of the roof beams and fixed to the roof beams so that said webs extend substantially perpendicular to said roof beams; a plurality of roof panels extending on top of the roof purlins, means connecting said roof panels to the roof purlins, said means including means enabling the roof panels to move a predetermined amount relative to one another and to some of the roof purlins to compensate for thermal expansion and contraction of the roof panels; means rigidly connecting the endmost roof panels at opposite ends of the building to the building end walls; and an elongate roof brace means having end faces on the opposite ends thereof which are presented away from each other, said brace means extending perpendicular to the axes of the roof purlins with said end faces fixed to webs of a pair of adjacent roof purlins beneath each roof panel to transmit therethrough compressive forces which are applied thereto via the webs of said adjacent purlins so that said brace means rigidifies the roof structure and prevents rotational movement of the roof purlins about their longitudinal axes and thus to enable the roof structure to transfer compressive forces directed substantially perpendicular to said purlin webs and created by lateral loads imposed on the side walls through the primary and secondary frame means and through the roof panels to the shear resisting end walls.

Claim 12

A roof structure for a building having opposite side walls and opposite end walls, wherein the roof transfers lateral forces imposed on the side walls of the building to the end walls thereof, which act in shear to resist the forces, said roof structure comprising a primary frame means including a plurality of elongate roof beams extending between the side walls and fixed at opposite ends thereof to the side walls; a secondary frame means including a plurality of elongate roof purlins each having a web and extending between the end walls and fixed at opposite ends thereof to the end walls, said roof purlins extending on top of the roof beams perpendicularly to the axes of the roof beams and fixed to the roof beams so that said webs extend substantially perpendicular to said roof beams; a plurality of roof panels extending on top of the roof purlins, means connecting said roof panels to the roof purlins, said means including means enabling the roof panels to move a predetermined amount relative to one another and to some of the roof purlins to compensate for thermal expansion and contraction of the roof panels; means rigidly connecting the endmost roof panels at opposite ends of the building to the building end walls; and an elongate roof brace means having end faces on the opposite ends thereof which are presented away from each other, said brace means extending perpendicular to the axes of the roof purlins with said end faces fixed to webs of a pair of adjacent roof purlins beneath each roof panel to transmit therethrough compressive forces which are applied thereto via the webs of said adjacent purlins so that said brace means rigidifies the roof structure and prevents rotational movement of the roof purlins about their longitudinal axes and thus to enable the roof structure to transfer compressive forces directed substantially perpendicular to said purlin webs and created by lateral loads imposed on the side walls through the primary and secondary frame means and through the roof panels to the shear resisting end walls.

Claim 13

A roof structure as in claim 10, wherein each roof brace comprises an elongate channel member having end plate means fixed to opposite ends thereof, a back-up plate disposed on opposite sides of the purlins from the end plate means, and fastening means extended through the back-up plate, purlin and end plate means securing them together.

Claim 14

A roof structure as in claim 11, wherein a pair of roof braces are disposed substantially end-to-end on opposite sides of a purlin.

Claim 15

A roof structure as in claim 11, wherein the end plate means and back-up plates comprise channel shaped members having a web and a pair of flanges extending perpendicularly from opposite edges thereof, opposite ends of the roof braces received between the flanges of the end plate means, and said fastening means extended through the webs of the end plate means and back-up plates.