Abstract: An earthen-covered dwelling or other structure having a portion of the peripheral wall exposed to atmosphere to provide access and natural light to the dwelling with the remaining peripheral wall and roof being covered by a layer of earth of substantial thickness sufficient to insulate the dwelling thermally and acoustically and reducing the quantity of energy necessary to maintain the interior of the dwelling comfortable for the occupants even when the atmosphere is extremely hot or cold. The roof and walls are constructed of strong, load bearing panels each of which includes studs and end members covered by sheets of rigid material and an encapsulation of glass fiber reinforced resinous plastic. The panels have interengaged edges for rigidly interconnecting the panels and the roof panels have built-in shallow crests and valleys.

Abstract: A method for forming a domed space frame, comprising assembling and pivotally interconnecting plural longitudinally extensible elongate elements into a planar grid frame array; pivotally anchoring ends of the elongate elements at the grid frame periphery; securing a gas-tight flexible extensible membrane to the grid frame; anchoring the membrane around the periphery of the grid frame in a gas-tight manner; and introducing pressurized gas under the membrane to inflate it and thereby raise the grid frame into a domed configuration, with a consequential extension of the elongate elements. When each elongate element has extended to a predetermined ultimate length, an arresting means associated therewith becomes operative and prevents any further change in the length of that elongate element. When all the elongate elements are so arrested, the gas pressure is released from beneath the membrane, and a self-supporting domed space frame is then available for use.

Abstract: An interior molding, for installation around window openings or doorways of a house; the device including a longitudinal, hollow, plastic extrusion that is attractively decorated on its front side, and which, on its rear, has a slot, so that the enlarged heads of a plurality of holding pins, driven stationarily in the wall, in spaced-apart relation along a straight row, can be snapped into the slot for holding the molding to the wall.

Abstract: Mechanically held fasteners or clips invisibly secure common end-abutting wallboard panels to common wood or metal framing members. The fasteners are spaced apart, extending from the backs of wallboard panels and beyond their vertical ends so as to be conveniently screw fastened to a framing member. When screw fastened to common wall framing members, the clips, due to their spacing structure, which also improves clip strength, secure the wallboard panels slightly off the framing member front surface to permit offset fasteners of abutting wallboard panels to slide between the fastened wallboard panels and the framing members and to be engaged by the fastened wallboard panels in a "tongue and groove" relationship, preventing transverse panel movement.

Abstract: A shed is provided principally for the storage of a unitary automobile and includes a frame bolted to the ground or a cement slab, and an overlying housing substantially conforming to the external shape of the vehicle, the housing being hinged to the frame and spring-loaded such that access to the vehicle is provided by lifting the entire housing clear of the stored automobile.

Abstract: A working platform for oil drilling operations in ice covered sea areas, which essentially comprises oil drillig equipment, an oil drilling pipe connecting the oil drilling equipment to the sea bottom, and a floating frame having a buoyancy and a strength enough to stand the pressure of an ice covering and being movable in accordance with movement of ice covering; the floating frame is disposed surrounding such a surface area of the ice covered sea as lying around the oil drilling pipe, whereby the pipe is protected by the floating frame against action of the pressure of ice covering during oil drilling operations.

Abstract: Environmentally heated and cooled pre-fabricated insulated concrete building is provided with a continuous layer of foamed insulation within all exterior walls. The building is constructed preferably of reinforced concrete having an outer and an inner wall connected together along the lower edge. Each section or unit of the wall is provided with an interlocking shape along the lateral edges for interlocking with adjacent panels or units. The walls are assembled at the job site and filled with a foam insulation. The outer concrete wall is provided with ducts therein and damper and blower controls which provide solar heating in cold weather and air circulation cooling in hot weather.

Abstract: A contoured building panel is provided which is adapted to be secured to a building structure by concealed fasteners. The panel has improved nestability with other like panels in a vertical stack for storage and shipment such that the stack of nested panels has a relatively small stack height. The panel has a body portion having at least one longitudinally extending channel with opposed substantially continuously diverging sidewalls and edge structures on both sides of the channel mouth projecting laterally outwardly from the body portion of each panel. One edge structure has a reverse bend therein forming a laterally open groove for receiving a portion of the opposite edge structure of an adjacent panel and a fastening edge portion for securing the panel to a building structure by fastening means which in an assembled condition underlies a portion of the adjacent panel near the opposite lateral edge. Both compression and tension locking building panels are provided.

Abstract: A floor panel for use in elevated floor assemblies having a bottom metal sheet and a top metal sheet sandwiched on each side of a solid noncompressible core. The bottom has an upwardly turned side deflected away from the side of the core forming a first shoulder on the upper edge thereof and the top has a downwardly deflected side spaced from the first shoulder forming a second shoulder such that they are spaced, non-overlapping sides. A flexible edge member having an outer shoulder engaging the first shoulder of said bottom metal sheet and an inner channel formed longitudinally thereof to receive the downwardly deflected edge of the top metal sheet is wedged between the top metal sheet edge and the bottom metal sheet edge and is locked in by the first and second shoulder on the bottom and top sheet respectively.

Abstract: This invention is a method and apparatus for performing such method whereby ordinary single glass building elements, such as windows, doors or the like are converted to double-walled, partially evacuated, thermally insulated elements by the use of a special adaptive method and special forming method, together with special adaptive elements in combination with sealant and desiccant materials.

Abstract: A system of constructing a building using prefabricated wall and roof panels, each of the panels comprising interior and exterior corrugated metal sheets disposed on opposite major faces of a foamed core. The panels are assembled together in edge-to-edge relationship with complementary mating edges for securing adjacent panels. The joints between adjacent panels and between panels and support members are secured by self-drilling threaded fasteners. Metal strips are embedded in the panels to provide anchors for the threaded fasteners. A specially adapted insulating member is disposed along one edge of each panel to provide mechanical support without sacrificing thermal efficiency.

Abstract: A multi-storey building construction utilizing prefabricated metal panels of tubular construction which can be erected at the job site by unskilled labor and adapted to support vertically spaced-apart floors, whereby the plurality of floors are separated by parallel rows of walls, each wall comprising the tubular metal panels. Each row of walls is in vertical alignment but not in direct contact with corresponding rows of walls situated on vertically adjacent floors, and each vertically adjacent row is interconnected by high-tensile strength threaded fasteners rigidly interconnecting the upper and lower chord of each panel to an adjacent chord of a vertically adjacent panel. The rows of vertically interconnected prefabricated metal panels provide effective continuous lightweight shear walls extending from the foundation of the building to the roof. The shear walls support loads imposed on the building and provide stiffness to the building to resist natural forces which otherwise tend to overturn the building.

Abstract: An improved anchor is provided for use with a mobile home having an underframe with an I-beam and wherein the mobile home is mounted above a base. The anchor comprises a pair of spaced clamping elements, each clamping element having an upper flange engaging portion for engaging the I-beam and a lower downwardly depending portion. One end of a chain is positioned between the downwardly depending portions of the clamping elements while a clevis is inserted through registering apertures in the downwardly depending portions and also through a link of the chain to thereby secure said end of the chain to the clamping elements. The other end of the chain is attached via a turnbuckle to the base.

Abstract: A panel assembly is disclosed as a covering for ceilings or walls comprised of a plurality of elongated panels (10) mounted to an underlying support member (13) by means of a two-part clamp (20, 21) comprising a generally hook-shaped securing member (21) and a locking member (20). The hook (30) of the securing member (21) engages behind a groove (12) along the edge of the panel and is mounted to the support (13) by means of the locking member (20) which engages behind an upstanding flange (18) on the support member (13). Each of the two parts (20, 21) of the clamp and the support member (13) have a uniform cross-section throughout their length to permit these parts to be extruded and cut to length.

Abstract: A jointing member for supporting one or more sheets of material comprises a hollow cylindrical member divided longitudinally into several separate compartments each having an external wall formed with a slot. The walls are flexible and the edges of the slot grip and support the edge of the sheet of material once inserted into the slot.

Abstract: Self-supporting structures and panels of diverse shapes are disclosed in which basic assemblies of crossed rod elements are employed to achieve the desired shape. Further, the crossing points of crossed rod elements in the structure involved may include limited sliding connections which effect transfer of collapsing force to other crossing points which are pivotally joined. An improved hub structure for pivotally joining ends of the rod elements at the outer and inner apical points is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of waterproofing subterranean walls which generally comprises peeling back the sod, making a perimeter trench around the wall, making a plurality of spaced apart vertical bore holes in the soil adjacent said wall, introducing a highly ionic inorganic salt solution into the bottom of said holes without contacting the side walls of said holes, and thereafter filling the bore holes and the trench with asphaltic emulsion, and finally placing the sod back over the trench.

Abstract: Transparent storm sash panes are carefully measured and precut for particular window dimensions. The precut rectangular pane is positioned in a gauging slot of a storm sash fabricating apparatus in which an adjustable stop is moved into opposition with a punch unit engaging opposite edges of the pane to thereby establish the proper length of a storm sash frame side to be punched from an extrusion of aluminum or the like. The punch is operated to form an interlocking end on one frame side and simultaneously to form such end on another frame side. Two pairs of frame sides thus produced in the apparatus are placed over the marginal edges of the precut pane, the frame sides being of channel formation, and are secured rigidly at the four corners of the pane by corner end caps or connectors having recesses to interlock with punched tabs on the opposite ends of the frame members. Accuracy of size, durability and economy of manufacturing for the storm sashes are assured.

Abstract: A steel brace for reinforcing an offset truss intermediate its heel joint and its ridge board. The steel brace has one end thereof nailed into the ceiling joist on one side and has its other end nailed into the roof rafter on the other side. The brace is provided with a deep rib extending longitudinally from one end to a position beyond the center of the brace and a laterally spaced apart deep rib extending longitudinally from the other end to a position beyond the center of the brace in the opposite direction. One of the deep ribs being convexly formed in said steel brace and the other spaced apart deep rib being concavely formed therein. The ribbed steel brace is thus provided with oppositely disposed flat surfaces at the ends thereof to abut the oppositely disposed ceiling joist and roof rafter for nailing thereto.

Abstract: A dock clamp employed in combination with a dock support structure that supports a dock section at an adjusted height by means of post members that are slidable within corresponding sleeve members attached to the dock section, the dock clamp serving to provide a fixed frictional coupling between a pair of corresponding post and sleeve members. The dock clamp includes a pair of rigid pieces each having an open end and a pronged end with a tapered configuration that is wedged between corresponding post and sleeve members at opposing ends and at one side of the sleeve member for applying a radial force in a direction that drives said post and sleeve members together at the side opposite to said one side in response to an applied axial force. The dock clamp further includes fastener means for applying an axial force by forcing facing open ends of said pair of rigid pieces toward one another.