Abstract: A self-supporting roof for buildings, composed of modular elements each comprising an outer wall, a layer of heat insulating material, an inner wall carried by the outer wall and of the same form to support the insulating layer, and stiffening frame members secured to the outer wall wherein the inner wall is also rigidly secured to said frame members so as to form with the outer wall a unitary structure vis-a-vis the efforts.

Abstract: Architectural structures made up of a set of trapezoids arranged in pleated relationship, interfitted with another interfitting, transverse set of polygons also arranged in pleated relationship.

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: A roof construction includes multiple hyperbolic paraboloid units joined together at adjacent peripheral edges to form a multi-unit roof span. These units include both horizontally extending edges and sloping edges, and vertical members to support the roof at the ends of only some of the sloping edges. Horizontally disposed and tensioned or compressed members connect ends of sloping edges that are unsupported by vertical members with ends of sloping edges that are supported by vertical members to transmit horizontal forces between the connected ends. This construction can be employed to form a large roof span without using interior vertical support members.

Abstract: A greenhouse structure is formed with a substantially flat and horizontal roof formed of a plurality of roof sections each pivoted about a pivot or hinge end to swing upwardly from a closed position to an open position to admit ambient air to flow into or from the interior of the structure to cool the same. The roof sections are lifted by a lift means which becomes part of the roof supporting structure, and, to this end, the lift means is associated with the vertical support columns. Preferrably, the lift means comprises elongated straight lift members each carried by and stabilized by an associated support column for traveling along vertical and rectilinear paths of travel. The preferred means for shifting the lift members and thereby the roof sections comprises a rotatable nut in threaded engagement with the lift member to shift the same vertically as the nut is turned by a worm gear means.

Abstract: A jointing device for long-limbed framework elements in reinforced concrete and framework comprising framework elements jointed by such devices.Means are provided for housing with a tightening fit the ends of the sections to be assembled. In a realization said means comprise a body from which depend at least two sleeves provided for housing with a tightening fit a portion of the sections to be assembled. The sleeves are preferably removably fixed to the body.

Abstract: A prefabricated sawtooth roof assembled from a plurality of roof modules houses solar energy collector panels which comprise a part of a solar energy collector system wholly enclosed within a building envelope. Each roof module comprises a glazed, insulated, watertight unit and may also include other shop installed mechanicals such as plumbing, heating, ventilating, lighting and electrical equipment. Each roof module has at least one structurally hinged panel section which is collapsed for highway transportation and pivoted to erection position as the module is hoisted from its carrier to the top of a building wall or other supporting structure.

Abstract: A glass house or plant house having the roof and walls of sawtooth configuration, the roof having generally vertical glass areas facing the equator, and sloping opaque sections inclined to the horizontal equal to the rays of the mid-day winter sun. The walls have generally vertical glass panels sloping outwardly at the top and jointed by horizontal opaque sections to allow penetration of the morning and evening sun but decreasing amounts of the day time sun.

Abstract: A building having a roof constructed of a plurality of plates connected by hinges at the common edges, said plates initially arranged folded together, with lower edges of the outer plates hingeably connected to upper edge of side walls, and said side walls hingeably connected at each end of each side wall to a pair of end walls constructed of a plurality of wall panels, said wall panels hingeably interconnected along common vertical edges, and initially arranged folded together. Total projected width of end panels is substantially less than total width of roof plates. Unfolding the roof plates causes the side walls of the structure to move apart and the end walls to simultaneously unfold until the end walls are fully distended, at which position said end walls stop the roof plates from unfolding further, and retain the roof plates in a folded plate configuration.

Abstract: There is described a prefabricated structure for erecting a building, that comprises bays hinged together which can take a position with a reduced volume and a position of extension, in which each bay comprises in the structure erecting condition and from the geometrical point-of-view, two pairs of dihedrons facing one another by pairs and comprising respectively the roof, the underflooring and the frontages of the bay, each dihedron comprising two sides hinged together along the dihedron intersection line and the junction areas between the dihedrons are each comprised of a truncated polyhedron comprising four side surfaces hinged together along their converging edges, said edges converging towards an apex located outside the imaginary right angle between the intersection lines of two dihedrons, two of those edges opposite the converging edges of the polyhedron being hingedly joined to one of the dihedrons, the structure further comprising means for stabilizing the dihedron angles in the bay extension conditi

Abstract: A building containing two rows of squash courts one each side of a central gallery, there being clerestory windows above the gallery, glass walls on each side of the gallery, and divisional walls extending between the gallery glass walls and the side walls so as to form the rows of squash courts each of which receives light through the clerestory windows and glass walls.

Abstract: A self-supporting structural element and combinations of such elements in roof structures are provided in which each element has an upper beam and two side truss members formed by paired upper and lower longitudinal profiled ribs joined by the tie and strut members of a lattice framework, preferably exhibiting a trapezoidal cross section, and in which a plurality of the structural elements are joined in parallel relationship along the lower rib members. These structural elements are especially useful when combined into special roof structures for industrial, school or sport buildings.