The present invention relates to fabric structures and methods for erecting same. The structure of the invention includes two telescoping apex legs, two generally vertical base legs having a base adapted to resist upward force on the base leg, four roof beams and a fabric roof membrane connected to each of the roof beams along a substantial portion of its periphery. A moment is applied tending to bow the roof beams upward and outward and the roof membrane is held under tension counter to said moment when the apex legs are telescopically raised relative to the base legs and the apex and base legs are positioned vertically. The invention provides a structure with a hyperbolic trapezoid roof made from modular components that are readily transported and assembled.

A wall segment is stood upon a surface by first positioning a curved wall segment upon the surface. The wall segment has a lower ground contacting surface, an upper surface opposite the lower ground contacting surface, left and a right side surfaces each extending from the lower surface to the upper surface, one or more panels, and a curved frame including at least one frame segment sized and dimensioned to retain a panel, the frame defining a curved outer periphery where the segment contacts the surface. A vessel is positioned proximate the curved frame, the vessel being shaped to conform and nest into the curvature of the outer periphery of the frame where the segment contacts the surface. The vessel is attached to the frame, and weight is added to the vessel.

The present invention comprises a structure for coverage formed by various structural elements, in particular a main element comprising one piece (stringer), said stringer (1) comprising in its basic embodiment a steel plate approximately 1-2 mm thick, conformed in a characteristic way by a tool in a continuous process, said shape essentially longitudinal, comprising several holes (5, 7) and pairs of fins (9), also known as shields in your extension, arranged modularly in a characteristic fashion in a basic pre-determined pattern, the piece (stringer) (1) being capable of being made in several lengths, being connected to one another by connecting plates (6) of characteristic geometry.

A method for making a covering is described. The covering includes a first layer made of a flexible material; a second and a third layers made of a preferably rigid material engaged on opposite sides to the first layer. The second and the third layers respectively have a plurality of V-shaped grooves defining respective adjacent rigid and corresponding structural portions. Each rigid structural portion can be oriented with respect to the adjacent rigid structural portion, by folding the first layer so as to model the covering according to three-dimensional configurations and/or a simple or double curvature. The method is preferably performed through a virtual designing of the shape desired to be obtained and a processing of the same for the obtainment of the grooves required to attain such shape.

A method of constructing a dome-shaped roof on a cylindrical tank body includes processes of assembling roof beams into the tank body in a radial shape to form a structural skeleton unit of the dome-shaped roof, attaching wheels to front end portions of the roof beams and causing the wheels to abut an inner surface of the tank body in a state in which the wheels are able to roll in a vertical direction, lifting the structural skeleton unit by jack-up units installed at an upper end side of the tank body and causing the wheels to roll along the inner surface of the tank body to travel upward, and directly or indirectly attaching and fixing the structural skeleton unit to an upper end portion of the tank body after the structural skeleton unit is lifted to the upper end side of the tank body.

A retractable roof for a building having a supporting frame and a high structure extending vertically above the supporting frame. The roof has at least one structure section with first and second panels. The first panel is hingeably mounted on the supporting frame at a proximal hinge and the second panel is hingeably mounted on the first panel at a distal hinge. A distal end of the second panel is suspended to the high structure with a distal cable connected to a distal motorized winch. A tackle member connects to both first and second panels adjacent the proximal hinge and the distal end, respectively, and includes a tackle wire that forms a wire side of a triangular cross-sectional shape with the first and second panels. The tackle wire connects to a winch mechanism to control a length of the wire side.

A foldable unit comprised of linkages in the form of tubular prisms is provided. The unit may be additionally comprised of polygonal panels. Linkages and panels correspond to a central polyhedral design that may be specified from a wide variety of geometric arrangements.

A foldable unit comprised of linkages in the form of tubular prisms is provided. The unit may be additionally comprised of polygonal panels. Linkages and panels correspond to a central polyhedral design that may be specified from a wide variety of geometric arrangements.

An architectural building block including a generally triangular block having an outer wall, an inner wall disposed in substantially parallel configuration with respect to the outer wall and three side walls, each adjoining the outer wall and the inner wall. One of the side walls includes dual inverse mirror planes and each of the other two of which includes a single inverse mirror plane. At least one the side walls is configured to be positionable so as to mate with a side wall of an abuttingly disposed block, whereby curved structures may be constructed from a plurality of such blocks to form a dihedral angle between each set of two blocks. In one embodiment, the inner wall further includes at least one depression disposed on the inner wall of the block.

An architectural building block including a generally triangular block having an outer wall, an inner wall disposed in substantially parallel configuration with respect to the outer wall and three side walls, each adjoining the outer wall and the inner wall. One of the side walls includes dual inverse mirror planes and each of the other two of which includes a single inverse mirror plane. At least one the side walls is configured to be positionable so as to mate with a side wall of an abuttingly disposed block, whereby curved structures may be constructed from a plurality of such blocks to form a dihedral angle between each set of two blocks. In one embodiment, the inner wall further includes at least one depression disposed on the inner wall of the block.