Patent GB-663949-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to the construction of airplane hangars and other buildings
IPC: E04B1/342
Filed: 1948-10-25
Abstract: 663,949. Airplane hangars and like buildings. WILLIAMS, Sir E. O. Oct. 13, 1949 [Oct. 25, 1948; May 27, 1949], Nos. 27745/48 and 14273/49. Class 20(i) A building of extensive and unobstructed floor area, e.g. a hangar, workshop, assembly or exhibition hall, car park, comprises an upper dome-shapped shell supported upon a lower structure formed by three arches springing from three ground anchorage points arranged at the corners of an equilateral triangle. The dome-shaped shell 13, Figs. 1, 2, may be supported by a lower structure derived from a part-hemisphere 10 from which three portions have been cut in vertical planes along lines 11 which form the equilateral triangle between the anchorage points 12, or alternatively the lower structure may be generated from a cone frustum from which portions have been removed by cuts in vertical planes as in Figs. 1, 2. In Figs. 5, 6 the dome-shaped shell 13 is part hemispherical and part of frusto-conical form and the lower structure 20 is derived from a truncated triangular pyramid 21 from which portions are cut in three vertical planes containing the lines 11 which join the mid-points of the sides of the base of the pyramid. The upper terminating surface of the lower structure 20 is of hexagonal form and is joined to the circular perimeter of the lower edge of the shell 13 by a horizontal shoulder 22. Figs. 8 and 9 show a construction similar to that of Figs. 5, 6, the lower structure 20 consisting of three main arches 25 of reinforced ferroconcrete girder construction supported by anchor blocks 26 and joined by horizontal bearers 37 supporting glazing panels 38. The shoulder 22 comprises a vertical circular rib 30 with projecting flanges 31, 32, 33, the inclined flange 33 supporting the lower ends of pre-cast concrete beams 34 secured at their upper ends to the dome 18, whilst the flange 31 constitutes a platform and the inwardly directed flange 32 forms a support for a circular track rail 42 carrying a rotatable crane gantry 43 on which is mounted traversible hoisting mechanism 44. In Fig. 14 the dome-shaped shell 13 is supported upon a circular shoulder 22 structurally combined with the upper edge of the lower structure 20 in the form of a truncated part hemisphere cut upon vertical planes as previously described. The main opening of the building, constituted by one of the arches 25, is closed by a series of overlapping cupola doors 70, 71 which follow the spherical contour of the lower structure 20 and are carried upon coned circular track rails 72- 75. Winged extensions 76 combine with a rectangular building 77 to form workshops &c. Inter-nested units, each formed as described with reference to Figs. 8, 9, may form larger buildings, Figs. 10, 11, 12 (not shown), and circular crane tracks in each unit may be interconnected by transfer junction tracks forming a continuation of diametral tracks provided on the crane gantries for traversing the hoisting mechanism whereby the latter may be moved from one crane gantry to the next and so around the complete closed circuit. In each of the arrangements described the openings defined by the three arches may be closed by a vertical wall of brick, sheet metal or glazing, but in the case of a hangar at least one opening would be provided with multiple section folding type doors 59, Fig. 12 (not shown).