US2769409A - Construction of dome-shaped roofs - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 6, 1956 w. RUTTEN CONSTRUCTION OF DOME-SHAPED ROOFS Filed June 19, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Man-z f n BY ifTOZ/IE) Nov. 6, 1956 w. RUTTEN 2,769,409

CONSTRUCTION OF DOME-SHAPED ROOFS Filed June 19, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR! l/Aarae farm-w w BY /6 (6 2/ 56 5 W .z/5z-.

IffDBI EK Nov. 6, 1956 w. RUTTEN 2,769,409

CONSTRUCTION OF DOME-SHAPED ROOFS Filed June 19, 1952 5 SheetsSheet 3 INVENTOR.

BY 314 MW Nov. 6, 1956 w. RUTTEN 2,769,409

CONSTRUCTION OF DOME-SHAPED ROOFS Filed June 19, 1952 5 SheetsSheet 4 5 1/6, FI GJJ' KMRMMMP.\ m 0 w 62 1 N V EN TOR. M44 752 Farr! Nov. 6, 1956 w. RUTTEN CONSTRUCTION OF DOME-SHAPED ROOFS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 19 1952 INVENTOR. #44 7'5? Kerri/v United States fatent O 7 CONSTRUCTION oF-nom-sHAPEnRooFs Walter Rutten,"PlaiiifieId, Ili. s Application'June19, 1952,"Seria1'No.294;3S0 "6 Claims. cums-'32 My invention relates to improvements in the con- :s'truction of "dome-shaped roofs employed i on a silos and :other "similar buildings Where :rdome-shaped roofs are desirable.

-My invention relates more particularly "to the construction of dome-shaped roofs of the: typeswhich employ :a plurality of arcuately'ashaped-roof segments'fconnected by: :intermeshing or interlapping' marginalaslock :Ichannels rand-which are-fastened at'theiri'upper-zends?to.:a center ring-and'at theirbottornends to the tOPISilQ hoop. -Silo'roofs of the type to which this .appIicati'OnfisIdi- 'rected'may, be :of the general type shown in UnitedTStates Patent No., 2,151,234, issued to Peter-'Rutten and Walter :Rutten on March 21, 1-939.

'The principal= object .of the-presentairrvention ismto iprovide improvements in the. design; construc-tionaand' as- .sembly of dome-shaped 'roofsof' the typerdescribed.

'-A further object ofithe invention 'iS ItO -PIOVidE'IEZD im- :proved construction whereby amore 'rigid-and stronger .roofr-is' obtained. x

further: object of theinvention iis to providesam im- ;proved construction of theroofdoor sandsmeans associsated 1 therewith 'foreguiding' its "movement during "opening on-closingof the same.

A further object of the invention is to pr'ovideaimproved door opening-means on both the inside:- and-'T'the outside-of :the silo roof.

A; further object of 'theinvention -is tofprovideran im- ;provedconstruction of roof cap and means for-fastenin 2the: same in position onthe roof. 7

A furthers-object of the invention .-is-:torprovide :imgprovedanchoring-means foriattaching the lower ends-of the-roof: sheets to the silo hoop.

Other objects and advantages will be more apparent from the following description in--Whi'ch reference :is had 1to' the-accompanying drawings, upon which: 7

Fig. l-ist-a sider elevational view of a dome-shaped roof built in accordance with .my improvedrconstruction;

Fig. 2 isa cross-sectional viewthereof;

3 issan enlargedscrosssectional view throughirthe :roofi capsand associated parts; 7 g

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan view thereof;

Fig. 5 is a: cross-sectional view through-the center ring rand: door support bracket, taken on line 5 5 vof Fig. 1;

,Fig 6 is.a fragmentaryexploded.view-showingzgen- :er a llythe roofcap, center ring, dooruand fragments of :the .roof' sheets or segments; I

l Figi 7-is a fragmentary cross-sectional view through the nroof captaken on.line 7:7 of Fig. 6; a

Fig. .8 is. a fragmentary. perspective. view of aportion f the, roof and silo hoop showing .the mannerdn. which the rooffsheets-or segments are. connected? to. the-same 'zfatfltheir lower edge; t

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view through a pair oftadjacent roof'sheets. and. one off the auxiliary .anchor feet,

is taken on-li-ne 9-9 of Fig.7 8;

iFig..l"0fjis, a front perspective view of one of thesaux- 'iha'ry anchorfeet showing in dotteddines the way 'the 2,769,409 Patented Nov. 6, 1956 lower-end of the same is bent upwardly about the silo 'hoop;

sheets or segments provided with fixed anchor members,

and istaken on the 1ine'1212 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 13 is an exploded perspectiveview showing" the parts of theifixedanchor member with thesilo hoop being :shownin cross-section in the eye bolt;

YF-ig. l-4' is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the fixed anchor member, roof sheets and silo hoop;

Fig. "15 is a section thereof taken generally on the :lineIS-TIS of Fig 14;

Fig: l6 is a? fragmentary' perspective view of adjoining roof sheets 'or segments showing one of the locking lugs which I'employ in position therein;

:Fig. 17: is a perspective view of'the locking lug;

"PigCIS'iS a front perspective-view of thedoor track ,supportxbracket;

;-Fig.:l9'=is a diagrammatic plan sectional View taken :generally'ab'ove the door track andassociated parts;

gFig 2O is :a side elevational viewofthe 'doorhandle mechanism;

rFig.,;-21 isoa cross-sectional-view showing the'door handle imposition and istaken generally on the line -21-121210fFigu l;

Fig.222; isacross-sectional view through-"the door and handle mechanism taken generally on the-line 22 22 ofFigi-I;

Fig. 23,.isa cross-sectional. view through thetrack and support bracket at the upper end of the same taken generally "on the line 2323 of Fig; 19; I

Fig. 124v is -.a cross-sectional view showing i the attachment of the track at the opposite end and is taken- -generally on the line 24-:24 of Fig. 19; and

-Fig. v25 -is adetail sectional viewtaken-on theline -25:25 of Fig. 22 showing the manner-in which-the ha'ndless are fastened on the turning-bolt.

In Fig. l of the drawingsil have shown a side elevational' view of a'dome-shaped roof of the type to which :this invention relates. The roof maybe formed by con- =necting-together a plurality of arcuate s ector-shaped seg- :mentsdl), Whose non-parallel edgeslare bent upon themselves :and adapted to interlock withthe edges of'adjacent sections in a manner to permit limited movementbetween the sections. Thus, for example, as shown'in Fig.

16, the right non-parallel edge of a section 10 is formed .with :afiange '12, having :theivertical wall 12a, the top 1211, -aside 120, an inwardly turned Ifiange 12d and an upwardly 'bentflange 12a. Each of the sectionsll) has an opposite non-parallel edge which has a ledge formed with an upwardly-bent edge 1 a'top ledge14a, and a downwardly 'bent edger14b. It will be noted that-the downwardly-turned edge 14!) isspaced from the main portion ofthe roof section so that there is sufiicient space to permit the portion 12d of an adjacentroofsection to slide beneath it,

-The above described-bent-over edges are adapted to be interlockedby-sliding one 'bent-overedge into the edge of-the-adjacent-section, this being done advantageously by starting the bottom edge portion 14' of a'section to beadded into the upper end of the fiange-12a-ofanadjacentsection andsliding the section downwardlyuntil it is 7 in .the correct position in interlocking -engagement throughout-its length with'the-section to -which it'is joined. In this general manner the roof structure-of silos made up of interconnecting sectors is assembled.

Referring now to Figs. 1 m4, the roof sectors 10 may be" connected at their upper ends to'a center ring;-16 by'bolt members 18 or in any other suitable manner,' the lower ends of the sectors ltl being connected by anchor 3 members 20 and 22 to the silo hoop 24 that is usually found adjacent the top end of the usual silo 26. The center ring 16 is also adapted to support a center cap 28 which'rnay compromise separable sections 28a, 28b and 280, fastened together to form a cone-shaped structure by interconnecting edge ledges 3i) and 32, the assembly including a central opening 34 at the top of the same. I provide a pair of cone-shaped washer members 36 on both sides of the opening 34, and fasten a stove bolt 38 the'rethrough. A nut 39 securely connects the washers andthe cap together. i p

The cap as thus assembled may be supported over the center ring 16 by means of a plurality of tie straps 40 which are fastened to the center ring 16 and bent upwardly at an angle to receive the bolt 38 through any one of a series of openings in their ends. I provide a wing nut 42 for fastening the cap member securely to the tie straps.

In this manner it can be seen thatthe top cap can be easily assembled from flat comparatively thin sheet metal, and by the use of tie straps fromthe center ring, the same may be fastened down securely over the top of the roof after the roof sections have been assembled together. This structure insures a tight, strong and rigid top cap and one which is not easily capable of being blown off by high winds or which will permit rain or'wind to enter the top of the silo roof. In addition, the top cap assists the bolts 18 in keeping the top ends of the roof sections firmly in position.

The top ring 16. as shown, may be in the form of an angle iron adapted to be bent into a circle with the meeting edges 16a and 16b fastened together by a strap member 44 of comparatively rigid metal which is bent as shown in Fig. about the channel-shaped ring member 16 and a pair of embossments 16c made therein to eifectiv'ely hold the strap member on the ring and the ends of the ring together. The strap member has a ledge 46 provided with an opening 48 to receive a bolt member 50 that extends through an opening in the top of the door edges of the anchor member 22 provides rigidity at this point so that thesame will notrbecome bent when the generally formed to the hollow square shape shown in- Fig. 11, having a slot 21 adjacent one side of the same and having the lower end of the tube thus formed flattened out, as shown at 23,'at the lower end of the same. The tubular section may be slid upwardly from the lower end of two adjacent roof sections 10 as shown in Fig 9, to interlock between the interlocking edges of the sections, the walls 20a, 20b and 200 of the foot 20 engaging lower ends of the connected sheets are securely held down about the edge of the silo.

The fixed anchor members 22, as best shown in Figs.

12 to'15, are channel shaped with bolt or rivet openings 22a, one adjacent the upper end and two adjacent'the lower end, the lower end'having an outwardly bent portion 22b with an elongated opening 220 therein. 'The -anchor member 22, as best shown in Fig. 12, is adapted to embrace themedial ribs 10:: of each roof section 10 and be fastened thereto by bolts or screws as shown,

with the lower end of the anchor member depending downwardly below the lower edge of the roof sheets. 7 I fasten the same to the silo hoop 24 by means of a hook bolt 56 which passes through an opening in a U-shaped clip member 58, the opening 220, a washer 60 and a fastening nut 62. The clip member which embraces the be moved.

bolt is fastened.

As previously explained, the door 52 may be mounted by means of the bolt 50 upon the strap member 44 at its upper end. In order to open the door it is desirable to swing it about the bolt 50 either to the right or left as may be desired. In the construction shown, I have provided means for swinging the door to the right and guiding the. same throughout its movement so that gusts of Wind will not blow the door about its pivot or bend it out of shape if it should become loose. Thus as shown, thedoor is provided with a'pair of guide brackets 60 which have a loop therein to surround a channel-shaped track mem-- ber 62. The track 62 as shown, has a portion 64 which is fastened by means of a U-bolt 66 to the silo hoop 24,.

the U-bolt assembly including a plate 68 and a pair of nut members 70 for fastening the plate down against the track 64. The track then has an outwardly bent portion 64a and an elongated portion 64b parallel to the hoop 24, the end 6412 terminating at an upwardly angle in a portion 640 which is fastened to a bracket72 supported on one of the hook bolts 56 which fasten the anchor means 22 to the silo hoop 24.

The bracket 72, as can be seen in Fig. '18, is provided with a flattened portion having a plurality of bolt holes 74 so that the height of the end of the track 64c may be adjusted as desired, the track fitting between the channelshaped end 76 of the bracket and being held in place by a bolt member 78 which fastens through the openings 79 handles. The handle assembly may further include a pair of the nut members 90. Thus, when either the handle 80 or the handle 82 is operated the door latch assembly will an upwardly directed arm 82a on the door handle 82 and may include a bracket 92 pivotally connected thereto on a pivot 94. The latch mechanism may include the elongated bolt 96 which may be adjustably secured on the ledge 98 of the bracket 92 and carry suspended therefrom a hook member 99 which in the raised posi tion shown in Fig. 20 engages the silo hoop 24 to prevent movement of the door either away from the silo or about its pivot bolt 50. The other hook member 101 may extend down below the bottom edge of the track member 62 to limit the distance which the door may be pulled away from the edge of the silo when it is open; Both of the hook members are adapted to lie within the center door channel groove 52a of the door 52. 7

After the .roof has been assembled and in order to secure the greatest rigidity possible, 'I have provided locking lugs 7 which are preferably driven into the space at the interlocking edges of adjacent roof sheets at designated locations. Thus, for example, in a 17 foot roof, I prefer to have five rows of locking lugs driven into place as shown to provide the maximum of rigidity and strength to the roof. ,In order to prevent workmen from placing these lugs indiscriminately, I haveprovided indicia embossed in the inner surface of the roof sheets, as shown in Fig. 16, at all of the points Where the lugs 7 are to be located.

It will be noted that each of thelugs 7 has a plurality of outwardly pressed ribs 7a which engage in the surface of the edges .of the roof sheets to securely hold Both of the handles ing of the roof'during high wind oeunder other conditions. As a esult i hew se.. tsthe r bs 7 n h s. r h merelintonosit on, they are u y x tom s te t t e i o-r A a ur h rnieansm f. secur ng: greater rigid y an s ren th: r ts. ofu hei ype. e rihedtl have 1 formed thev ofi he qabout n. .arclA:w which m yi veffect be to the diameterof the silo for which the roof is provided. Thus by forming the roof sheets so that a radius is formed around-thelowenendof the roof-sheets so that the roof has the same circumference generally as the silo, the individual sheets through their interlocking flanges have a tendency to brace each other much more effectively than if the roof sheets were straight rather than curved.

With the construction above described, when the roof segments 10 are assembled to form the conical dome, the marginal flanges of one segment will be interlocked with the marginal flanges of adjacent segments, and when thus assembled there will be freedom for lateral spreading and contracting of the segments to adjust the conical dome to the exact size of the silo to which it is applied. After this has been done, the lugs 7 are hammered into position, as previously described, and a strong, rigid conically shaped dome roof has been provided. In view of the fact that each of the roof segments is rigidly anchored to the silo hoop which is around the top of the silo wall, it can be seen that the possibility of any of the roof sheets or the entire dome being broken away or loosened by a strong wind is greatly lessened.

Due to the construction of the silo door and the manner in which it is latched either in open or closed position, there is no possibility of the door being blown away or being bent or multilated by rough or hard usage of silo operators. Further, the provision of both inner and outer door handles for opening the silo door provides convenient access to the interior of the dome from either the inside or the outside of the silo.

By reason of fastening the roof cap to strap members which extend upwardly from the top ring and are secured directly to the apex of the cap, the cap may be pulled down effectively over the edge of the top ring and the ends of the roof sectors so that the possibility of rain or snow getting into the roof under the roof cap is largely eliminated. Further, this construction provides an additional support for holding down the top ends of the roof sectors after they have once been bolted to the top ring.

While I have illustrated and described a specific embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made in the exact details shown, and I do not wish to be limited in any particular; rather what I desire to secure and protect by Letters Patent of the United States l. The combination with a dome-shaped silo roof of the type made up of a plurality of arcuate sector shaped roof segments having interlocking flanges, an L-shaped ring member attached to the upper end of each segment and a hoop surrounding a silo to which said domeshaped roof is anchored about its top, of a sector-shaped door for said roof, said door pivoted at its upper end about a bolt on said ring member, a track connected to said silo hoop adjacent the lower end of said door, said track spaced away from and generally concentric to said hoop and inclining upwardly from said hoop and means associated with said door for guiding the lower end thereof on said track, said means including a pair of brackets attached to the lower end of said door, each racket having a loop portion encircling said track.

2. The combination with a dome-shaped silo roof of the type made up of a plurality of arcuate sector-shaped root. segments having interlocking edge. flanges an L; shaped ring member attached .tothe .uppenendof -allof said segments and a circular hoop surroundinga silouto which said dome-shaped roof is anchored about its top, of an arcuate sector-shaped-door for said roof, said door pivoted at its upperend on a bolt on .said ring, member and adapted to swingsto open position in an are about the, same, an arcuate door track connected to said silo hoop adj acent the, lower endof .said door. and: extending upwardly at an angle around a portion of said siloroof, and latch means at the lower end of said door forlock ing said doortosaid hoop andto said track: in either a closed or in an open position.

3. The combination with a dome-shaped silo roof of the type made up of a plurality of arcuate sector-shaped roof segments having interlocking edge flanges, an L- shaped ring member attached Ito the upper end of all of said segments and a circular hoop surrounding a silo to which said dome-shaped roof is anchored about its top, of an arcuate sector-shaped door for said roof, said door pivoted at its upper end on a bolt on said ring member and adapted to swing to open position in an are about the same, an arcuate track connected to said silo hoop adjacent the lower end of said door and extending upwardly at an angle around a portion of said silo roof, a bracket having a loop encircling said track mounted on the lower end of said door for guiding said door on said track, and latch means at the lower end of said door for locking the door to said hoop and to said track in either a closed or in an open position.

4. The combination with a dome-shaped silo roof of the type made up of a plurality of arcuate sector-shaped roof segments having interlocking edge flanges, an-L- shaped ring member attached to the upper end of all of said segments and a circular hoop surrounding .a silo to which said dome-shaped roof is anchored about its top, of an arcuate sector-shaped door for said roof, said door pivoted at its upper end on a bolt on said ring member and adapted to swing to open position in an are about the same, an arcuate door track parallel to and connected to said silo hoop adjacent the lower end of said door, mean connected to the lower end of said door for guiding the same on said track, and latch means for locking the same to said hoop and to said track in either an open or a closed position.

5. The combination with a dome-shaped silo roof of the type made up of a plurality of arcuate sector-shaped roof segments having interlocking edge flanges, and L- shaped ring member attached to the upper end of all of said segments and a circular hoop surrounding a silo to which said dome-shaped roof is anchored about its top, of an arcuate sector-shaped door for said roof, said door pivoted at its upper end on a bolt on said ring member and adapted to swing to open position in an are about the same, an arcuate track connected to said silo hoop adjacent the lower end of said door, said track parallel to said silo hoop for 'a portion of its length and then extending at an angle in an upward direction, a bracket having a loop encircling said track mounted on the lower end of said door for guiding said door on said track, and latch means at the lower end of said door for locking the door to said hoop and to said track in either a closed or in an open position, said latch means including an operating handle on 'both the inside and the outside of said door, a pair of hook-shaped members suspended therefrom, one adapted to engage said hoop and one adapted to engage said track.

6. The combination with a dome-shaped silo roof of the type made up of a plurality of arcuate sector-shaped roof segments having interlocking edge flanges, and L- shaped ring member attached to the upper end of all of said segments and a circular hoop surrounding a circular silo to which said dome-shaped roof is anchored about its top, of an arcuate sector-shaped door for said roof, said door pivoted at its upper end on a bolt on said eryor circumferential curvature of the silo, an 'arcuate 5 track connected to said silo hoop adjacent the'lower end of said door parallel to the lower edge of said door and then extending from the door opening upwardly at an angle around said silo, a bracket mounted on the lower end of said door, said bracket having a loop encircling 10 said track for guiding said door on said track as the door is moved open or shut, and latch means for locking said door to said hoop and track in either a closed or in an open position.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Ware; f Apr. 2, Martin May 12, Martin Aug. 4,

' Douthitt Sept. 18, Hanson Oct. 17, Cowin Jan. 16,

FOREIGN PATENTS v Italy of

Images