Abstract: A roof truss having laterally extended portions compared to standard size roof trusses for supporting a roof over a longer span compared to the span of a standard size truss. The extended portion has a supplemental purlin outside of the outermost web member of a standard size roof truss. The supplemental purlin transmits roof load force through a K truss or half-K truss with the upper portion of the K truss fastened to the supplemental purlin and a lower portion fastened to the roof truss extended bottom chord. Use of the supplemental purlin and K-truss architecture eliminates the need for sloping web members in the truss extended portion thereby saving material in truss construction while utilizing standard size truss templates and assembly jigs.

Abstract: A weather overhang assembly for installing roof overhangs on a steel building includes a steel building that has a roof, a front wall, a rear wall, a first lateral wall and a second lateral wall. A front overhang is attached to the front wall of the steel building and the front overhang is aligned with the roof. The front overhang extends outwardly beyond the front wall to shield the front wall from precipitation. A back overhang is attached to the back wall of the steel building and the back overhang is aligned with the roof. The back overhang extends outwardly beyond the back wall to shield the back wall from precipitation.

Abstract: An alternative design for a cabin or a house which utilizes an arched shape to provide a significantly stronger overall structure. The design includes a first roofing structure, a second roofing structure, a planar base, and a ridge beam. The planar base makes up the flooring for the cabin. The ridge beam is positioned parallel to and offset to the planar base to join and support the first roofing structure and the second roofing structure. The first roofing structure and the second roofing structure are positioned opposite to each other across the bridge beam and each includes a plurality of arched beams and a plurality of roofing boards. The arched beams are distributed along the bridge beam and are connected in between the bridge beam and the planar base. The roofing boards are distributed across and mounted to the arched beams to make up the roof of the cabin.

Abstract: A modular truss system includes an upper chord and a lower chord. Each of the upper and lower chords has a pair of terminal ends and each of the upper and lower chords is arcuate between associated ones of the pair of terminal ends. A plurality of branches is removably attached to and extends between the upper and lower chords. Each of the branches has a first end and a second end comprising a saddle that receives one of the upper or lower chords at a fixed angle with respect to the upper and lower chords. The saddles ensure the branches are properly placed on the upper and lower chords.

Abstract: A modular building system including: assembled modules, where the modules provide framing for a structure; panels, where the panels are implemented within the modules to create a building structure; fixed hinges, where the fixed hinges are attached along the edges of the modules; and a series of hinge connectors throughout the structure, where the series of hinge connectors provide a mechanism for attachment of the modules to each other. The framework may include metal channels to adjoin the components of the framework. Each module may include a frame, an inner surface, an outer surface, insulation within the frame and a spacer between the inner surface and the outer surface.

Abstract: A method of creating a bend in a construction component for use in a transportation vehicle. The method comprises providing a plurality of cuts in the construction component so as to create a region of increased flexibility in the construction component. The method further comprises bending the construction component in the region of increased flexibility so as to cause the construction component to acquire a bent shape, and then rigidifying the construction component in the region of increased flexibility so as to cause said construction component to maintain the acquired bent shape.

Abstract: An aircraft component assembly system for the assembly of an interior component, a pipe or an electric line in an aircraft includes at least one arc-shaped frame element, a connection element that extends between a first and a second end of the frame element, and a fastening apparatus for fastening the interior component, the pipe or the electric line to the frame element or the connection element. The system also includes a first guide device that is provided on the frame element or the connection element and is devised to interact with a second guide device, which is complementary to the first guide device and provided on an aircraft structure, in such a way that the aircraft component assembly system is connectable to the aircraft structure in a manner displaceable relative to the aircraft structure.

Abstract: A device supporting a first and a second element of a piece of space equipment. The device includes at least two deployable flexible arms each having a first end and a second end, the ends are secured respectively to the first and second elements and each designed to adopt at least one initial position folded in curves and an unfolded final position, in which positions they hold the first element away from the second element by first and second chosen distances respectively, the second distance being greater than the first.

Abstract: A base frame for a parking lot roof equipped with photovoltaic modules is proposed, wherein two mirror-symmetrically constructed halves are provided, with each half having an inner arc constructed of three inner struts and an outer arc constructed of three outer struts, which are connected with each other by cross struts. The structure is light-weight and can be easily manufactured.

Abstract: A building structure with a tubular frame structure in a hut shape may be provided with cladding in the form of curved panels to provide a temporary or emergency shelter. These panels may consist of two spaced-apart plastic sheets fused together by parallel ribs serving as webs to provide parallel channels therein, e.g., Coroplast™-like sheeting. Such sheeting is preferably stiffening with one or more battens that are inserted through the hollow channels of the panel allowing them to be used as semi-rigid cladding over the entire building structure. The outer tubular members of the frame are all curved to improve rigidity. The frame includes channels for seating the panels as well as contribute to the structural integrity of the shelter.

Abstract: A building structure with a tubular frame structure in a hut shape may be provided with cladding in the form of curved panels to provide a temporary or emergency shelter. These panels may consist of two spaced-apart plastic sheets fused together by parallel ribs serving as webs to provide parallel channels therein, e.g., Coroplast™-like sheeting. Such sheeting is preferably stiffening with one or more battens that are inserted through the hollow channels of the panel allowing them to be used as semi-rigid cladding over the entire building structure. The outer tubular members of the frame are all curved to improve rigidity. The frame includes channels for seating the panels as well as contribute to the structural integrity of the shelter.

Abstract: In a method of making a control arm for a wheel suspension of a motor vehicle a blank of steel material having a tensile strength of at least 800 MPa is shaped, using a sheet metal forming process, into a shell body having a center web and plural flank portions extending from the center web in a same direction. The flank portions are connected by a latticed reinforcement made of plastic, without application of a heat treatment process.

Abstract: A new and useful Dome Kit, dome shaped structural system and method of assembling a dome shaped structural system are provided. The Dome Kit and method are used to form a dome shaped structural system comprising a compression ring, a lower ring that is larger than the compression ring and spaced below the compression ring, and a plurality of ribs connected with the compression ring. The lower ring, the compression ring, lower ring and connected ribs form a dome shaped structural system; i.e. a structural system with a dome shaped appearance.

Abstract: A structure for forming a vertically orientated wall comprises a flexible front panel having a longitudinal axis, a transverse axis and substantially continuous front surface; a flexible rear panel positioned rearwardly and parallel to the front panel; and a plurality of cross members connecting the front and rear panels. The front and rear panels define an upwardly opening cavity therebetween for accepting filler material, such as concrete therein. The rear panel includes at least one longitudinally disposed laterally deformable portion, such as a channel or zig zag pattern, which allows for the associated expanding and contracting of the rear panel during adjusting of the arcuate configuration of the wall structure.

Abstract: An elongate, long-span transition beam employable between columns in a building frame structure. This transition beam includes (a) an elongate central portion having one, principal cross-sectional vertical depth, and (b) joined to the opposite ends of the central portion, a pair of elongate end portions each having a smaller cross-sectional vertical depth. These end portions may be formed with flange-modified reduced beam sections to act as “overload fuses”. The central and end portions join through size-differentiated, transverse cross section, transitional regions which are formed adjacent opposite ends, and as parts, of the central portion.

Abstract: A composite structural article, of preferably metal and thermoplastic material is described. The composite structural article comprises: (a) at least one reinforcing element (2) having sized openings (20); and (b) at least three profiled sections (1, 3, 4). A portion of each profiled section (1, 3, 4) is connected interlockingly with a portion of the reinforcing element (2). At least two of the profiled sections (1, 3, 4) have terminal portions each having a projecting region (5) that engages interlockingly with the sized openings (20) of the reinforcing element (2), such that a portion of the reinforcing element (2) surrounds at least partially the projecting regions (5). The profiled sections (1, 3, 4) are further joined to the reinforcing element (2) by means of thermoplastic material (10, 11, 12, 13) injected in the region of each interlocking connection with the reinforcing element (2).

Abstract: A truss for supporting a roof of a building and the like includes a bottom chord member having a first end and a second end, and a top chord member fixedly attached to the bottom chord member and having arcuately curved upper surface. The upper surface is flanked by a pair of spaced leg members, which are corrugated to provide the upper surface with a generally smooth arcuate shape. In one aspect of the present invention this upper surface and depending leg members essentially comprise the top chord, while in another aspect of the invention, the upper surface and corrugated legs comprise an upper truss cap which sits over a conventional segmented chord. In addition, the same techniques can also be employed to provide a bottom chord with an arcuately curved lower surface.

Abstract: A shelter may be readily assembled or disassembled from a plurality of identical shelter supports. Each shelter support is formed from an outer beam placed in a divergent relationship to an inner beam. The converging ends of each beam are capped by a first end member. The diverging ends of each beam are capped by a second end member. The second end member forms an acute angle with the horizontal when the first end member is placed on the ground. Thus, with the first shelter support placed as a column support the second end member is presented for engaging a second end member of a second shelter as a roof support. The truss thus formed from the two shelter supports is joined at an apex portion with other similar trusses in various arrangements conveniently to form shelters of different shapes which can be readily assembled and disassembled.

Abstract: The bow module portable modular structure of the present invention includes: (a) a rigid, spaced apart, parallel array of arches, each lying in a vertical plane and spaced apart along a longitudinal axis, wherein each arch is formed of a unitary generally semi-circular bow member having rigid bracing members mountable thereto within a perimeter of the bow member, and (b) a rigid, spaced apart, substantially parallel array of cross-bracing bows mountable to the array of arches so as to be generally perpendicular to each arch, the array of cross-bracing bows radially spaced apart about a center of curvature of each arch in the array of arches.

Abstract: Wooden roof trusses of the kind having a bottom chord (13) and at least one obliquely disposed upper chord (11) with webs connecting the chords by means of nail-pated joints, in which the webs are selected from a set of standard stock length webs (50), and the ends of the webs (49) are provided with a standard shape set without regard to the geometry of the particular web joints.

Abstract: The present invention provides a strong yet lightweight truss arch which could be used in many applications, and is adapted particularly to a support framework for those fabric covered structures utilizing a single piece of fabric stretched over the top of the supporting framework. The truss arch is made up of sections comprising tubular upper and lower arctuate truss members separated by a continuous tubular web. The coupling plates on each end of the sections are attached such that the top edge of said coupling plate is below the upper side of the upper member, providing a smooth upper surface to the truss arch and eliminating wear points which could damage the fabric or other material stretched over or supported by the truss arch. The truss arch is easily transported and manufactured.

Abstract: A beam member for use in construction, particularly as a waler in concrete form assemblies, and a method of producing the same. The beam member is flexible to a preselected curvilinear shape and adapted to be held in said preselected curvilinear shape, and includes a flexible face and a plurality of flange members secured to and upstanding from the flexible face, the flange members being arranged side-to-side in two rows, one each of which rows is adjacent a corresponding one of opposing sides of the flexible face. Each of the flanges has a terminal end section extended parallel to the flexible face and is separated from an adjacent flange by a distance which increases from the attachment of the flange at the flexible face to said terminal end section whereby the beam member is laterally flexibly movable to conform to a preselected curvilinear shape. A strap is secured to the terminal end section of the flanges to maintain the preselected curvilinear shape of the beam member.

Abstract: The composite structure made of wood and reinforced concrete can be used for bridges, roofs etc. In a bridge, a plate of reinforced concrete carries the roadway and rests on a truss comprising lower and upper chords, transversal girders and struts made of wood and posts made of reinforced concrete. The lower struts are reinforced with steel ties, follow a bent curve and are anchored in lateral end sections. Forces in the wooden parts all extend along the wood's fibre, which increases the maximum load capacity. The concrete posts allow a simple assembly of the wooden elements. The weight of the construction is low, its load bearing capacity high.

Abstract: A biarch consists of two coplanar arches, curved in the same direction and radially spaced with cross ties having shear rigidity in planes perpendicular to the cross section areal center curve of the arch pair. End ties resist relative tangential arch displacements. Biarch framing members are strong, stiff, durable and economical structural members for framing aesthetically pleasing, clear span arched structures capable of withstanding hurricane winds and mountain snows. The most efficient materials for constructing biarch framing members are hardwoods, aluminum and steel. Biarch frames spanning up to fifty feet can be assembled or disassembled by one or two persons using common hand tools.

Abstract: A device for forming an arcuate ceiling structure which is positionable between first and second opposed rows of vertical wall studs having at least one horizontal header extending therebetween. The device comprises a first ledger attached to the first row of wall studs and the second ledger attached to the second row of wall studs. At least one arcuate member is provided which has first and second longitudinal ends, an arcuate upper surface and an arcuate undersurface. The length between the first and second ends is such that when the arcuate member is positioned between the first and second ledgers, the first end will abut the first ledger, the second end will abut the second ledger, a portion of the upper surface will abut a header, and the undersurface will form an arcuate support surface to which a sheet of finishing material may be applied.

Abstract: The composite structures are composed of wooden members such as girders of laminated wooden boards and members of reinforced concrete such as a plate of reinforced concrete which form for instance a composite load supporting structure designed as pedestrian walkway or similar structure. In order to interconnect the members of wood themselves or to members made of reinforced concrete fitted set bolts or fitted screw bolts, respectively, are arranged in such a manner that they extend through the cross sections of the wooden members and are anchored at least in one cross section of reinforced concrete. The parts consisting of reinforced concrete are poured as a rule after the assembling of the wooden structure such that deviations of dimensions can be equalized or taken up, respectively, quite easily. This allows a combining of the advantages of wooden structures and of structures made of reinforced concrete.

Abstract: A roof truss and decking system having trusses constructed with multiple truss blocks (8) stacked end to end with crush plates (14) in between. Keystones (16) are placed at the apex of the trusses or the crush plates (14) wedge shaped forming the trusses into arches. Truss blocks (8), keystones (16) and crush plates (14) are compressed together and strengthened with wire ropes (20). Wire ropes (20) run through wire rope receiving channels (30) in the truss blocks (8), through the curved wire rope receiving channels (46) in the keystones (16), and through wire rope slots (34) in the crush plates (14). Tensions of the wire ropes (20) are transmitted to the feet of the trusses at the tie plates (12). Tiebeam wire ropes (21) are added to each truss from the tie plate (12) on one foot to the tie plate (12) on the other foot preventing the truss' feet from spreading. The trusses are spaced apart and the spaced between is covered with spacer plates (10) resting in grooves (26) at the top of the truss blocks (8).

Abstract: A modular building structure is provided for erection on a circular foundation. The building is formed from a plurality of truss members mounted between the circular foundation and a compression ring at the crown of each truss member. Roof panels fixed to said truss members form a generally spherical building shell for storage of all types of material. The truss members are made in modules or segments that are hinged together for easy erection and simple fastening together to form a unitary rigid box beam structure forming the structural framing of the building. The modular roof panels are formed to mount between adjacent pairs of truss members so as to overlap the truss members and abut each other to form a weather-tight sealed joint and roof structure. The spherical building requires no side wall structure and roofing materials may be used throughout to weather-proof the building.

Abstract: A building having a plurality of spaced apart concrete pilasters vertically disposed in the ground and having their tops in a common horizontal plane carry thereon a similar plurality of roof truss members which are generally vertically disposed on the pilasters and which join at the crown that leads to one other truss member to form a roof enclosure for a frame structure for a building. Truss members are covered with sheeting panels to enclose the building above the top of the pilasters and the barrier wall is provided from a series of panels mounted on the inside of the pilasters. The truss members are arranged to provide a triangular interior roof profile and a hip roof exterior profile eliminating the need for vertical wall sections on a circular building and on a rectangular, except for the end walls.

Abstract: A trussed structure includes at least a pair of parallel trussed girders. In one of the trussed girders, an upper chord member and a lower chord member are joined through lattice members. The trussed structure includes at least a pair of prestressing members spanning between the opposite sides of the trussed structure. The central portions of the prestressing members are disposed below the end portions of the prestressing members, and connected to the lower chord members so as to pull the lower chord members upwardly. The central portions of both of the prestressing members are disposed between the adjacent trussed girders.

Abstract: Ceiling panels, formed from metal rods welded together in a grid pattern, are easily installed in suspended subceilings of the type in which panels are supported on bottom flanges of a framework of inverted T-bar rails. In a lower layer of the panel, an array of spaced parallel rods is tied together across each end by an end rod to form a perimeter which fits within a cell opening of the inverted T-barsupport framework, while rods in an adjoining upper layer of the panel, oriented perpendicular to the rod array in the lower layer, are made to extend beyond the lower layer perimeter so as to support the panel, along two opposite panel edges, upon the upper side of bottom flanges of the support frame rails. The perimeter rods in the lower layer in combination with with the exposed portion of the support rail flanges produce the finished effect of a uniform border around each panel.

Abstract: In a domed support structure, especially for roof construction, a compression dome is arched in lengthwise direction in a catenary configuration. A tension dome is further arranged either side by side or below the compression dome and is also arched in lengthwise direction in a catenary configuration. The compression and the tension domes are provided with a compression sheating and a tension sheating, respectively. The compression sheating is formed to have a high buckling strength. To this end the compression sheating is arched also in a direction transverse to said lengthwise direction. The arched shape is defined and maintained by corresponding transverse beams which function as stiffening or shaping elements but do not support any load caused by the own weight of the sheating. Such forces are transmitted by the sheating itself directly onto the bearings of the structure at its lengthwise ends.

Abstract: The invention relates to a building truss having an intermediate flexible section and two end stiff sections. The truss is formed of upper and lower chord(s) with the lower chord(s) of the intermediate section having a plurality of lengths of tube slidably received over a tensioning cable. By tensioning the cable the truss is bowed upwardly to form an arcuate truss.

Abstract: A method of constructing and erecting a post-tensioned steel frame structure consisting in:1. Constructing on the ground a center span of the structure to each end of which are hingedly connected column structures;2. Post-tensioning the center span by means of a cable to bring the span to a desired shape; and3. Post-tensioning cables connected between each said column structure and the center span to produce relative rotational movement between the column structures and the center span about the hinge joints to raise the column structures from a substantially horizontal to a substantially vertical position thereby elevating the center span to its final position.

Abstract: An improvement in the art of bowstring roof truss construction comprising an altered web pattern in which the diagonal and vertical webs, normally converging at points alternately within the geometric confines of the top chord and the bottom chord, intersect or converge rather at points intermediate between top and bottom chord on massive vertical webs. This system facilitates more head room and walk-through space where a floor is framed into the bottom chord of the truss. This system comprises (1) an arched top chord with intersecting vertical and diagonal webs, (2) displaced intersection points of the diagonal webs onto the massive vertical webs, (3) a suspension assembly to hang the bottom chord using direct bearing and (4) a separate assembly to transmit the longitudinal truss-action forces from the vertical webs to the bottom chord.

Abstract: The construction includes batts of fibrous insulation between trusses as well as insulation in a vertical thermal path through the trusses.

Abstract: A lining-frame for a gallery or tunnel comprises two planar latticework trussed arches, each comprising an inner belt (3,4) and an outer belt (1,2) interconnected by a zig-zag rod chain (5,6). The arches are fixed parallel to one another by planar connector elements (81a,82a:81b,82b).

Abstract: The cambered truss header is embodied in a shoring apparatus for pouring substantially horizontal concrete building sections. The truss header extends between and is supported on end runners which may be carried on floor-supported legs or on hangers mounted on upright building sections. A truss header may consist of a truss span having a top chord member, a bottom chord member, and a plurality of like brace members interconnecting the chord members. The brace members form an open web pattern wherein adjacent brace members are reversely inclined with the plurality of apices being connected to the top chord members a spaced apart distance greater than the spaced apart distance between the apices of the bottom chord member. The truss header is thus provided with a camber which tends to assume a horizontal position in response to a load placed on the truss header by the horizontal concrete building section.

Abstract: In a domed support framework tension domes and the compression domes are arranged side-by-side, neighboring domes thereby being arched oppositely with respect to one another. The tension domes and compression domes are carried by common intermediate supports and outer supports. Transversely to the doming direction continuous tension elements are spanned between the outer supports, extending in a funicular polygon or in a catenary configuration alternatingly through the tension domes and longitudinal extensions of the compression domes and being guided over the intermediate supports. Each tension element is frictionally connected with reinforcement ribs of the compression domes and with roof from elements of the tensions domes. The tension elements cause deflection forces which in each dome compensate for the opposed arch pressure forces. Thereby a horizontal force balance between neighboring tension and compression domes is achieved by simultaneously transmitting the vertical forces to the supports.

Abstract: An arch-shaped building structure is constructed from a multiplicity of relatively small but uniform pieces without the use of metal hardware or fasteners and without the use of conventional tools. Overlapping or offset cross members are disposed between substantially parallel stringer members wherein a given cross member supports a given stringer member and in turn is supported between a pair of stringer members parallel to the given stringer member. Ends of cross members offset from the given cross member are supported by said given stringer member, said offset cross members in turn supporting stringer members parallel to said given stringer member. Stringer members are received in upper slots in cross members, while end tabs of the last mentioned cross members are received in upper slots in stringer members parallel to the first stringer members. The weight of the structure places the cross members in interlocked compression such that no fasteners are required for holding the structure together.

Abstract: A skeletal dome structure composed of a plurality of arcuate support beams joined at their upper ends to a central hub and radiating outwardly and downwardly to terminate at points of engagement with a support surface. Each support beam is composed of an elongated lightweight core sandwiched between upper and lower strips of a material having high tensile and compressive strength. In making the dome, each beam is first preassembled to the extent that the core thereof is secured to a first strip, that strip is then attached at one end to the central hub, the first strip and core are then longitudinally flexed to develop a convex curvature along the side of the core opposite from the strip, and a second flexible strip is then secured to the convex side of the core.

Abstract: A wood roof truss construction comprising, in combination, a pair of redundant superpositioned load support systems, namely a tied-arch system and a wood bowstring truss system. The wood truss system comprises an arch, a web system depending from said arch and a horizontally oriented bottom bichord member secured to the web system and bridging the ends of the arch and anchored to said ends by a U-strap. A connecting assembly is coupled to the U-strap and to an elongate steel tension rod disposed between the two members forming the bottom bichord. Transverse spacers are provided along the length of the bichord comprising spacer sleeves, through-bolts and/or U-plates coupling the gusset plates or straps employed to anchor the web members to the bottom bichord said transverse members serving also to support the tension rod in the absence of being fixedly secured thereto.

Abstract: A domed support framework or truss comprises, as the roof form elements, wooden members oriented in the direction of doming and interconnected with one another so as to be tension-proof in such direction. The therebetween extending reinforcement ribs are likewise tension-proof wooden or timber elements. At their ends the roof form elements of the tension dome are frictionally connected with a tension element which extends in a polygon or catenary configuration between two supports to the same dome side and is guided over such supports in the compression dome. At that location the tension element is anchored at the extension of the compression dome. This construction compensates the horizontal thrust of the domed support framework, by virtue of the anchoring of the tension elements, without loading the roof form elements in the transverse direction, and thus, renders possible the use of materials which only can be loaded in one direction in tension, such as for instance wood.

Abstract: Prestressed composite tension members comprise an assembly which includes compression and tension portions which are loaded longitudinally along or symmetrical with the center of gravity of the compression portion and prestressed causing both the tension and compression portions to cooperate in resisting lengthening of the assembly rather than the tension portion alone, thus lessening such elongations. In one embodiment, the tension member forms a tension member in a truss, having an upper chord and vertical webs acting in compression, and the tension member comprises a tensioned cable mounted within a series of abutting, slotted and glued wood members under compression. In another embodiment, the tension member comprises a tensioned cable centered in a plurality of tubes in compression, forming the truss lower chord.

Abstract: A framework in particular an arch comprising at least one frame member and wherein the framework extends in at least two dimensions, a linkage system associated with the framework and attached thereto at at least three non-collinear positions on the framework, said linkage system embodying two tension members, one of which extends from each of the two outer positions of said three non-collinear positions to the central position thereof where the tension members are each attached to one of two spaced points on a swivel member which is at least swivelable in the plane of the framework and is attached to the framework at the said central position by a connection operable in use, to allow at least limited rotation about a point offset from the line of the tension members and thereby ensure that a change in tension in one of said tension members results in a rotation of the swivel member which causes a change in tension in the other tension member.

Abstract: A double-layered wooden arch truss to be used for frameworks of wooden roofs and characterized in that the wooden arch truss is double-layered with an upper arch member formed of layered wooden plate material and a lower arch member formed identically to the upper member, the wooden arch truss being usable for cattle houses, etc.

Abstract: A building structure is made up from a framework covered by sheet material. The building structure has a generally rectangular floor plan. The framework has two end structures and a main body portion composed of a plurality of interconnected parallel arches which extend at right-angles to an axis of symmetry of the floor plan of the building structure. The sheet material is connected to the framework under tension so as to increase the strength of the finished building structure.

Abstract: A characteristic feature of the present invention lies in that in the building roofing structure is made of a number of similar elements in the form of an arch and a tie beam. The tie beam of each arch is made of at least one panel with a framework comprising longitudinal chords and cross-pieces and of a prestressed sheet covering connected to the framework.

Abstract: A structural truss composed of spaced rails interconnected by a series of struts swingably coupled at their ends. Track members on the rails receive the ends of the struts which are slid into place between the rails. Thereafter, the struts are crimped in place upon the rail members to form a load supporting structural member.In a second embodiment, rivets are slipped into the track members, the struts are slipped upon the rivets and the ends of the struts and the rivets are deformed to form the structural truss.

Abstract: A roof structure made up by a plurality of truss members interconnected by purlins which carry sheet metal roofing material. The truss members are made up of a top compression member which is preferably a tube and a bottom tension tube the members being connected together by vertical tension struts and joined at their ends. The top compression member of each truss consists, before erection of a straight or partially curved member and the bottom tension tube of a downwardly bowed tube. The structure is given form and rigidity by passing high tension steel cables through the bottom tension tubes and, after the purlins and sheet metal roofing material have been attached, tensioning them to bring the top compression members to an upwardly curved configuration and the bottom tension tube to a straight or slightly upwardly bowed form.