Abstract: A swimming pool cover is provided for a swimming pool which can be lowered to cover portion of the room floor and can be then raised to a position above the pool and adjacent the ceiling. The cover is suspended from the ceiling by various wire ropes and associated winches.

Abstract: Firewall that is used in an area of a fire compartment to prevent fire from skipping to other areas, whereby the fire wall is comprised of modularly constructed sub-elements which are essentially composed of profiles assembled to form a surrounding frame that simultaneously separate two glass panes, whereby the glass panes extend to the outer edge of the profiles, and the frame is covered by a partial enameling of the glass panes, and the sub-elements can be connected to each other by connecting elements with the interposition of fireproof laminates.

Abstract: An improved metal connector that securely ties together sheathing and underlying structural members on a building to prevent hurricane and earthquake damage. The connector has alternating sheathing tabs for securing adjacent sheathing edges. Connected underneath the sheathing tabs, a rib separates the sheathing and correctly spaces each adjoining sheet with a slight gap to avoid buckling. Below the rib, rafter webs alternate with the sheathing tabs to prevent movement of the sheathing and rafter. The large surface area and precise nail holes on the sheathing tab avoids sheathing splitting and assures correct attachment to the underlying structural member.

Abstract: Random-shaped tiles are joined in an arbitrary array onto a front plane of a metal plate having holes, the metal plate being fixed to a backing plate. The random-shaped tiles are supported by supporting pieces of attaching pieces attached to the metal plate. The weight of the random-shaped tiles is received at the lower edge portion thereof by the supporting pieces, and the movement thereof in the direction of peeling away (forwards) is restricted at the upper edge portion of the random-shaped tiles by the supporting pieces. The random-shaped tiles can be joined to the metal plate having holes in a free array, and work can proceed speedily without any sagging during the joining work. Following joining, the random-shaped tiles are shielded from a good deal of vibrations and movement applied to the building frame, while being held in a secure joining state to the metal plate having holes.

Abstract: A method for repairing and concealing a crack in the interior surface of a basement wall, and for draining water admitted through the crack into a drain at the base of the wall. The method involves the steps of covering the crack, along the length thereof and down to the drain, with a thin, narrow strip of a water-absorbing, water-wicking fabric such as a layer of plastic foam or woven cotton. Thereafter a thin barrier layer of an elastomeric caulk composition is spread thereover and beyond the edges thereof onto the surface of the basement wall to channel the flow of water from the wall crack, through the layer of wicking fabric, and down into the drain.

Abstract: A stake having first and second generally planar members intersecting along a common longitudinal axis extending from a leading end adapted for ground penetration to a trailing end with a striking surface includes a plurality of steps toward the trailing end adapted for supporting posts of varying diameters. Support pads extend in a circumferential direction about the longitudinal axis from the steps to provide a support surface for securing a posts of varying diameters and/or shapes with a fastener. In one embodiment, the stake includes a number of holes extending through at least one of the first and second members and the first and second members include scalloped edges with a common apex at the leading end. In another embodiment, the second member includes a triangular portion with an apex displaced relative to the apex of the first member which may include a triangular or trapezoidal portion.

Abstract: A decorative, spherically shaped structure formed by a plurality of circumferentially spaced, elongated, pivotably interconnected ribs that lie in substantially coplanar, contiguous relation to each other when not expanded, but are readily expandable to form a discontinuous, substantially spherical body having top and bottom hub sections formed by end panels unitarily molded onto the ends of each rib. The pivotable interconnection between adjacent ribs is achieved by providing tabs on the end panels, the tabs having cylindrical apertures cooperatively alignable with mating tabs of adjacent ribs, permitting such cooperatively aligned tabs to be pinned or riveted together to form an integral structure. The end panels of each molded rib preferably further comprise cooperatively engageable lips having stepped cross-sections that intermesh to form substantially continuous upper and lower hub surfaces providing strength and rigidity to the expanded sphere.

Abstract: An end member is joined against axial displacement to a handrail by a lock member that is coupled to a mounting flange portion of the end member against axial movement and for rotation relative to the mounting flange portion. A locking cam portion of the lock member is received in an under cut mounting groove of the handrail and is configured to permit the lock member to be moved axially along the locking groove in an unlocked rotational position relative to the locking groove and to frictionally engage walls of the locking groove in a locked rotational position relative to the locking groove and thereby retain the end member against axial movement relative to the handrail.

Abstract: A tension member, for use as a tendon or tether for a tension leg platform consisting of a plurality of carbon fiber filaments (6) gathered into a plurality of strands (5) in which the filaments (6) run against one another, around which strands there is arranged a sheath (16). The tension member comprises pressure-resisting spacers (7) having recesses (9, 11, 12, 14; 25, 26, 28, 31) wherein the strands (5) are laid singly so that they can move in the longitudinal direction unobstructed by each other and the spacers (7).

Abstract: An intermediate anchorage system including an anchor member with an interior passageway, a tendon extending through the interior passageway of the anchor member, an elastomeric seal having one end affixed to the anchor member and extending outwardly therefrom, and a rigid ring member detachably received within an opposite end of the seal. The ring member has an inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of the tendon. The opposite end of the seal is in liquid-tight compressive contact with the exterior surface of the tendon when the ring member is detached from the seal. The interior passageway of the anchor, the seal and the ring member have an inner diameter, when joined together, which is larger than the outer diameter of the tendon so as to allow the anchor member, the seal and the ring member to slide along the length of the tendon.

Abstract: A knock-down portable partition includes a rigid panel frame having a central portion. The partition includes at least one cover panel covering at least a portion of the central portion of the rigid panel frame. Connectors detachably mount the cover panel on the panel frame to facilitate assembly and removal of the cover panel on the panel frame. The rigid panel frame includes at least two vertical posts having an upper end, a lower end, and opposite side faces. The opposite faces have at least two beam connection ports thereon positioned adjacent the upper and lower ends of the associated one of the posts. The panel frame also includes upper and lower beams extending generally horizontally between the vertical posts adjacent the upper and lower ends thereof, and interconnecting the vertical posts adjacent the connection ports. The panel frame includes quick-disconnect connectors such as movable lock members positioned on one of the posts and the beams adjacent the connection ports.

Abstract: A metal connector that securely ties together sheathing and the underlying structural members on a wood frame house. The connector correctly spaces each adjoining sheet with a slight gap to avoid buckling. The connector has a large surface area above the sheathing with precise nailholes to avoid sheathing splitting and assuring correct attachment to the underlying structural member. The connector can be used on roofs, walls, and floors. The connector grasps the sheathing and wraps around structural members to avoid detachment during hurricanes. The connector fashions sheathing into strong shearwalls to avoid building damage during earthquakes.

Abstract: A method of applying tiles to a roof, the tiles being of at least two different appearances, includes establishing a collection of pattern units, each pattern unit representing an arrangement of a plurality of tiles formed into a specific pattern, the specific pattern of each pattern unit being different from the specific pattern of every other pattern unit in the collection of pattern units. Each pattern unit includes representations of tiles of at least two different appearances, such as different colors. Tiles are applied according to a first one of the pattern units, to a first portion of the roof. Tiles are applied according to one of the pattern units, to a second portion of the roof that abuts the first portion of the roof. Additional tiles are applied to additional portions of the roof, the tiles being applied to each additional portion of the roof according to one of the pattern units, with each additional portion of the roof abutting a previously applied portion of the roof.

Abstract: Self-contained, modular building systems that create temporary structures consisting of various panels that fold compactly for shipping, but that deploy into complete building segments, such that a large surface area of panels sufficient to provide a structure of superior size as compared with like known modular structures may be efficiently stored and conveniently deployed.

Abstract: A prestressed concrete structure comprising an elongated concrete molded article having a pair of side surfaces opposed to each other, a plurality of tensile members laterally extending through the concrete molded article to be secured at each end to the side surfaces of the concrete molded article in a tensioned state and imparting a compressive load to the concrete molded article, side guards arranged along both side surfaces of the concrete molded article so as to cover the ends of the tensile members, and reinforcing members arranged on the side surfaces of the side guards in order to prevent the broken tensile members from protruding beyond the side surfaces thereof breaking through the side guards when the tensile members in the tensioned state are broken.

Abstract: An expandable and collapsible mobile structure is provided that includes a central structure having a floor, a roof, front and rear end walls, and at least one longitudinal side wall that is movable out from the central structure. Foldable floor sections are hinged to a bottom edge of the longitudinal side wall and a bottom edge of the central structure, and foldable roof sections are hinged to a top edge of the longitudinal side wall and a top edge of the central structure. The foldable floor sections and foldable roof sections are adapted to be unfolded as the longitudinal side wall is moved out from the central structure. And front and rear side walls are hinged to respective outermost side edges of the front and rear end walls of the central structure. In an expansion operation, the front and rear side walls are adapted to be initially swung out perpendicular to the longitudinal side wall and positioned by ground supports.

Abstract: A tie bracket for linking adjacent end studs of two or more stud wall subframes extending at an angle to each other, comprises a shaped element of sheet metal which includes a generally polygonal centre portion (12) defining at least three margins (14) intersecting at respective corners, for being accommodated between the end studs. A plurality of tabs (20) project respectively from at least two of the margins for engaging respective apertures in the end studs. Each tab is of a length in the direction of projection greater than its width and of broadly similar order to the lengths of the longer of said margins. Respective formations (28) are provided in each of the tabs to define alternative bending lines (29) spaced in the direction of projection.

Abstract: A deployable structure comprising a side wall having a plurality of segments which make the side wall a tube-like shape as a whole. Four adjacent segments are connected with one another at one point to make one module. The folding patterns of the segments along the connecting creases have two purposes, one of which is a closing pattern to reduce an inner angle between connected segments adjacent in a circumferential direction of the side wall, accompanied with a folding in a direction of a central axis, the other of which is an opening pattern to enlarge the inner angle between connected segments adjacent in the circumferential direction of the side wall, accompanied with a folding in the direction of the central axis. As a result the side wall can be deployed and packaged in both directions of the central axis and the radius of the side wall by folding the segments along the connecting creases thereof in the closing and opening patterns.

Abstract: As stamped from sheet metal, an elongate hanger for hanging an electrical box between a pair of ceiling panel-supporting bars has two opposite ends, a main panel with a front surface and a back surface, a lower flange, and an upper flange. Each flange projects from the front surface and has plural grooves. Each groove is arranged to receive a tire wire wrapped around the hanger so that the tie wire is restrained in that groove against slipping along the hanger. At each of the opposite ends, the main panel has a pair of slits defining a tab adopted to be bent at a right angle. Each tab has a hole arranged to receive a fastener to fasten the tab to a ceiling panel-supporting bar extending at a right angle to the hanger.

Abstract: A method of transforming a non-beveled edge of a wallboard panel into a beveled edge to form a recessed flush butt joint when installed. This method will not mar or damage the bonded paper coating on the panel and will not interfere with the manufacturers structural strength of the panel.