Abstract:
A drive under new automotive hail protection roof hip-and-valley cable-tension type canopy is formed by a rectangular grid pattern of rigid post assemblies joined at their upper ends by longitudinally, transversely and diagonally extending cables forming a coextensive fabric roof support.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to shelters and more particularly to a new automobile hail protecting and shade structure. 
     Automotive dealers park their for-sale vehicles in an open air lot where the vehicles are exposed to weather. Inclement weather, such as a hailstorm, sometimes damages the vehicles by denting the roof, hood, and trunk areas. Repairs must be made before the vehicle is in acceptable condition by the average customer. 
     In areas where hailstorms frequently occur, hail protective insurance rates are relatively high. Thus, adding to the cost of business to an automotive dealer. 
     This invention provides a canopy shielding automotive vehicles from hailstorms, as well as providing a sunshade resulting in economic savings for both the vehicle dealer and customers. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     The prior art generally discloses camouflage structures and plant shelters which for the most part utilize a plurality of earth anchored guy wires around the perimeter of the shelter for maintaining the structure upright. None of the prior art patents, it is believed, disclose a shelter which shields articles under the shelter from the impact of hailstones. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,355,008 issued Aug. 1, 1944 to Moran for CAMOUFLAGE STRUCTURE and U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,404 issued Jan. 17, 1978 to Sheldon for SHADE-PRODUCING STRUCTURE AND METHOD are believed good examples of the state-of-the-art. 
     This invention is believed distinctive over the prior art by providing a hip-and-valley roof or hip cable-tension type roof structure which protects equipment thereunder from hailstorms and snow in addition to providing shade. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A plurality of corner and intermediate anchor posts are disposed in a rectangular array defining the perimeter of the area to be protected. Similarly, a plurality of intermediate support posts are disposed in predetermined spaced relation between the several anchor posts. 
     A first plurality of horizontal framing cables secured to the top portion of the several anchor posts define roof ridges, eaves, and end limits of a structure. A second plurality of bracing cables extend diagonally from one cave anchor post to a diagonally opposite eave anchor post over the roof ridge cable. A third plurality of fabric cover support cables extend transversely across the bracing cable roof structure between opposite eaves in parallel equally spaced-apart relation. 
     A plurality of elongated rectangular lengths of fabric longitudinally secured together in juxtaposed cable reinforced relation at their junctures extend transversely across the roof structure and are secured at their respective ends to the respective eave framing cable. Other triangular sections of the fabric close gable ends of the structure. 
     The principal object of this invention is to provide a hip-and-valley cable-tension type roof structure for protecting automotive vehicles from inclement weather and additionally providing a sunshade. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of grid boundry line support posts and a network of frame bracing cables; 
     FIG. 1A is a plan view, to a smaller scale, of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 2 is an isometric view similar to FIG. 1, illustrating fabric cover support cables, the framing and bracing cables being omitted for clarity; 
     FIG. 3 is an isometric view similar to FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrating the complete structure; 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of a corner post assembly enclosed by the arrows  4  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partly in section, of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view of a roof ridge end anchor post top portion enclosed by the arrows  6  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 7 is a framentary top view of FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 8 is a top view of the post of FIG. 6 with the fabric cover protective shield removed; 
     FIG. 9 is a left side elevational view of FIG. 6 with the cable clamp removed for clarity; 
     FIG. 10 is a fragmentary elevational view of a roof valley end post enclosed by the arrows  10  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 11 is a top view of FIG. 10; 
     FIG. 12 is an enlarged a fragmentary elevational view of an intermediate ridge post enclosed by the arrows  12  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the area enclsed by the arrows  13  of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 14 is a horizontal cross section to an enlarged scale taken substantially along the line  14 — 14  of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 15 is a line diagram of FIG. 14; and, 
     FIGS. 16 and 17 are cross section views to a different scale taken substantially along the lines  16 — 16  and  17 — 17 , respectively, of FIG.  3 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Like characters of reference designate like parts in those figures of the drawings in which they occur. 
     In the drawings: 
     The canopy  10  (FIG. 3) as a whole is formed by a pair of juxtaposed hip-and-valley roof structures  12  and  14  forming a valley  16  therebetween. 
     The canopy includes a post and cable-tension support structure  20  (FIG. 1) comprising a plurality (4) corner post assemblies  22  surrounding a rectangular area of predetermined size, for example, 150 feet (45 m) long by 200 feet (60 m) wide. A like plurality of ridge end posts  24  and a pair of valley end posts  26  are disposed in equal spaced relation transversely of the structrue at its respective ends. 
     Referring also to FIGS. 4 and 5, each corner post assembly  22  comprises a plurality (3) posts arranged in right triangular fashion with the post  28  at the right angle position being the primary corner post with the secondary brace posts  28 ′ and  28 ″ disposed in spaced parallel relation with respect to the post  28  and inline with the structure eave and adjacent end limit, respectively. 
     The length of the corner posts is such that approximately 6 feet (1.82 m) of their depending end portions may be disposed in suitable post holes  30  of larger diameter than the posts and the annulus filled with concrete  34 . The upper end portion of the primary post  28  projects above the surface of the earth  32  a selected distance, for example, 9 feet (2.74 m) for the purposes believed presently apparent. 
     The upper end portions of the corner posts  22  are rigidly interconnected by horizontal right triangular disposed side members  36  and a hypotenuse member  37 . The brace posts  28 ′ and  28 ″ are capped and the upper end of the primary corner post  28  is closed by a plate  38  having a larger diameter than the diameter of the post  28 . The marginal edge portion of the plate  38  outwardly of the perimeter of the post  28  is provided with a plurality of circumferentially equally spaced holes or apertures  40  for receiving cable end portions, as presently explained. 
     Referring also to FIGS. 6-9, the roof ridge end post assembly  24  comprises an elongated post  42  of selected diameter and length braced by a shorter companion brace post  43  with both posts similarly embedded in the earth in concrete as described hereinabove for the corner post assembly  22 . 
     Similarly, the primary ridge post  42  is joined to its brace post  43  by a plurality of horizontal brace members  44 , only one being shown in FIG.  6 . The top end portion of the ridge post  42  is diametrically cut away from the structure eave and valley sides to form an inverted V-shape as viewed in elevation (FIG. 9) with the apexes of the V-shapes aligned with the roof ridge line. The inverted V-shapes are line drilled adjacent the apex of the inverted V-shape, as at  48 , for receiving a cable  66  as hereinafter described. A section of padding material  50  overlies the upper limit of the V-shape, as viewed in FIGS. 8 and 9, and an inverted V-shaped panel  52  overlies the V-shape for the purpose presently explained. 
     Referring also to FIGS. 10 and 11, the roof valley end post assembly  26  comprises a primary post  54 , of substantially equal length with respect to the corner post  28 , secured to a companion post  55  by a brace  56 . Both posts  54  and  55  being similarly buried in concrete in the surface of the earth. 
     The top of the post  55  is closed and one of the apertured plates  38  overlies the top of the primary valley end post  54  for anchoring cable end portions, as presently explained. 
     Intermediate eave post assemblies  58  identical with the valley end post assembly  26  are interposed in equally spaced relation between respective end posts  22  at opposite eaves of the structure  20 . A plurality five (5), in the example shown, of ridge line posts  60  of substantial equal length with respect to the primary post  42  of the ridge end post assembly  24  are interposed in equally spaced relation between the end post assemblies  24  for completing the respective post ridge support for the cable support structure  20 , as presently explained. The upper end of each of the posts  60  are similarly cut away to form an inverted V-shape (FIG.  9 ), and are similarly line drilled for receiving the roof ridge cable  66 , as presently explained. 
     Similarly, a pair of intermediate valley posts  62  substantially equal in length with the principal corner post  28  are inserted and cemented in the earth in equal spaced relation between the valley end post assemblies  26 . The valley intermediate posts  62  are similarly provided with a corner post cap  38  for anchoring cable end portions. 
     A plurality (3) of eave framing cables  64  extend horizontally between the end posts assemblies  22  at opposite eaves of the roof support structure canopy and between the valley end posts  26 . A pair of roof ridge framing cables  66  extend between the roof ridge end post assemblies  24  at respective ends of the structure. As illustrated by FIGS. 6 and 12, the roof ridge cables  66  project through the post apertures  48  and a sleeve  49  interposed between the inverted V-shaped end portions of the ridge end posts  42  and the intermediate posts  60 . A pair of roof framing cables  68  are clamped, at one end portion, to the plate  38  on the corner post assemblies  22  at respective ends of the structure and extend tautly over the sleeve  49  on the ridge line cable  66  between the inverted V-shape of the respective end post  42  and are respectively anchored to the plate  38  on the valley end post  26 . Additionally, companion cables  68 ′ extend from the top of the brace post  43 , of the respective ridge end post assembly  24 , to the valley end post assembly  26  and the respective adjacent corner post assembly  22  to minimize ridge post buckling. 
     Similarly a pair of intermediate framing cables  70  extend transversely of the structure between the respective eave post assembly  58 , over intermediate ridge posts  60  between the V-shapes thereof and over the cable  66  and are similarly clamped in the apertures  40  of the plates  38  on the intermediate valley posts  62 . 
     As best illustrated by FIG. 1A, other structural cables  72  and  74  extend diagonally from the eave post assemblies  22  and  58  across the structure in 45° and substantially 60° angular relationship with respect to the axes of the eave cables  64 . 
     Referring more particularly to FIG. 2, a plurality of roof fabric supporting cables  75  extend transversely across the structure from one eave cable  64  to the other in equally spaced parallel relation preferably equalling lateral dimensions of fabric strips forming a roof cover  85  (FIG. 3) as presently explained. The cables  75  are aligned with and connected with eave end and intermediate assembly posts apertured plates  38  in the manner explained hereinabove. 
     The ends of the cables  75  between adjacent eave posts are loop clamped around the eave cable  64  between cable clamps  76  (FIG. 13) to prevent lateral movement of the cable  75  relative to the structure eave cable  64  or ridge cable  66 . The fabric supporting end cable  75 ′ passing over the ridge post assembly  24  overlies the fabric shield  78  on the inverted V-shapes of the posts  42 . 
     As illustrated by FIGS. 6 and 7, an elongated inverted V-shape fabric protecting shield  78  overlies the apex of the post V-shape and projects toward adjacent ridge posts in overlying relation on the adjacent portion of the ridge cable  66  for shielding the roof fabric as believed presently apparent. Additionally, a cable fabric restraining cable  80  extends horizontally between eave end posts assemblies  22  and the valley end posts  26  at respective ends of the structure. 
     Referring also to FIG. 3, a plurality of elongated strips  84  of fabric preferably polyethylene, which yields to the impact of a mass impressed thereon but does not easily rupture, are longitudinally stitched together in juxtaposed relation to form the structure or canopy roof cover  85  extending from one structure eave cable  64  over the ridge cable  66  to the valley forming eave cable. 
     As illustrated by FIGS. 14 and 15, the adjacent longitudinal edges of the fabric strips  84  are joined together in overlapping relation by coextensive parallel rows of stitching  86  to form a loop  87  extending longitudinally of the fabric which receives the fabric supporting cables  75 . 
     The end portions of the fabric strips  84  are similarly provided with a transverse loop which receives a fabric eave end supporting cable  90  extending between and connected with the end posts  22  and intermediate posts  58 . This results in a gap or opening  92  (FIG. 16) at the valley position which allows snow accumulating on the sides of the roof fabric  85  to fall by gravity to the surface of the earth at the valley position rather than piling up on the roof fabric. 
     Right triangular-shaped gable end fabric portions  94  and  95  have their cable reinforced hypotenuse edge portion, overlying the fabric support cable  75 ′, extending from the ridge post top portions to one end post assembly  22 . The altitude side of each fabric right triangular gable end portion  94  and  95  is similarly provided with a cable  94 ′ and  95 ′ independent of the altitude side of the adjacent right triangular gable end portion as illustrated by FIG.  17 . This arrangement permits the gable end altitude edge portion of the respective triangular shape to billow outwardly or inwardly in response to wind force against the gable ends of the roof structure. The horizontal end cable  80  being similarly secured to the base portion of the triangular shaped fabric gable end panels  94  and  95 . 
     Obviously the invention is susceptible to changes or alterations without defeating its practicability. Therefore, I do not wish to be confined to the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings and described herein.