Suspended Roofs with Radiating Ribs.
Year: 1898

page_text: Suspended Roofs with Radiating Ribs.
I, WALTER TESTER, 51, King Street, Manchester, Civil Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
To construct roofs on the suspension principle, being the most economical for
large spans and making it quite practicable at a moderate cost to roof in large
pavilions for exhibitions or to roof in cricket, football or athletic grounds; or
any large areas, The outline of the structure is made polygonal on plan; pre-
ferably a regular polygon lying within a circle. Stiff radiating ribs are hung
from suspending chains or steel wire ropes, and between the radiating ribs are
arranged a series of parallel ring girders. The outer ring girders at the circum-
ference are made extra strong to prevent the tendency to collapse inwardly, and
by strongly bracing the three outer parallel girders together they are made to act
as one deep ring girder.
At the circumference the radial ribs run over double pillars lying on the same
radiating lines. The double pillars consist of two steel stancheons the same
distance apart as the ring girders and strongly braced together. The pillar over
which the suspending chains or rope passes is carried by the radial ribs, and
may be immediately over the inner stancheon of the main pillars, or may be
nearer the centre of the structure. The rope or chain is carried down to the
ground and securely anchored.
The outer stancheon of the main pillar is also anchored down to the ground
with Lewis bolts, to prevent any overturning tendency.
The outer elevation of the structure may consist of brickwork filled in between
adjacent main pillars and resting on rolled steel joists running into main pillars
and intermediate rolled steel joist uprights.
The weight of this brickwork will help to counteract overturning tendency.
The top boom or flange of radial ribs, is made to act as gutter, being made
chanel section and given sufficient fall to carry the water to the circumference,
where it may be collected in tanks.
The roof may be covered entirely or partially with glass, boarding, or any ordi-
nary roofing materials. The central portion can be made movable in sections to
slide on rails.
Galleries can be arranged around the circumference of the structure to be
carried between the inner and outer stancheons of the main pillars and by inter-
mediate uprights.
The whole of the girder work, main pillars, &c., to be of mild steel of the best
quality.
Dated thin 01st of Octahan 1000

page_text: I, WALTER TESTER, of 51, King Street, Manchester, Civil Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention has for its object to construct a span roof upon the suspension
principle and consists essentially of a novel arrangement of radiating ribs hung
from suspension chains or ropes from cuter pillars stancheons or the like and
strengthened by parallel ring girders.
A roof so constructed is applicable for covering in athletic grounds, exhibi-
tions pavilions, markets, stations and other large areas, and is most economical
and suitable for such purposes.
On the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 illustrates a part sectional and part exterior elevation of a large span
roof on the above named principle.
Fig. 2 illustrates a plan, the left hand side shewing the arrangement of parts
for a roof of square or four sided construction, and the right hand side shewing
the arrangement of parts for a roof of polygonal construction.
In accordance with my invention I employ ribs (R,R,) arranged to converge
from the outer sides to the central portion of the roof as shewn more clearly in
Fig. 2.
Such ribs rest on strong double pillars (D, P,) braced together in all directions
and the outer pillars anchored down in any suitable manner. Each rib is sus-
tained by a chain or rope (S, R,) which passes over a pillar (S, P,) placed imme-
diately above the inner pillars (D, P,) or otherwise.
Such rope is secured to the outer pillars or to the ground at one end and the
other end is coupled to a centre ring or plate or passes to and over the pillar (S, P.)
of the opposite rib (R, R,) and is secured in like manner at both ends to the outer
pillar (1), P,) or to the ground.
Between the ribs (R, R,) I arrange parallel ring girders (R,G,) increasing in
depth with their spans, and the outer girders being double and braced together
by steel joist purlins (P) radial bars (R, B) and diagonal bars (D, B.) at the
top and bottom to form a strong outer ring.
The roof thus constructed is wholly or partly glazed or covered in any suitable
manner.
In the example shewn on the left hand side of Fig. 2 the structure is supple-
mented by stiffening framework (S, F,) for giving the required shape of structure
and in such example it will be seen that the ribs (R, R,) vary in length as will
be the case in oblong and other like structures.
If desired the central portions of the roof may be made in movable sections
stiffened by steel bars and under the action of a rope and windlass move out
wards on rails to the positions shewn by dotted lines in Fig. 2.
In addition portions of the circumference may be made to slide in a simila
manner, and ordinary small skylights be introduced.
The drawings indicate only one application of my invention, in which th
structural parts are of steel or iron, but similar roofs may be constructed fo
similar spans in other materials, say for example wooden ribs and girders, iro
suspension rods and wire rope or in the case of temporary canvas erections rod
and ropes for the canvas and suspenders and scaffolding poles and timber for th
ribs and uprights.
For permanent structures gutters are formed on the top of the radial ribs t

page_text: run the water off the roof and said gutters are given a slight fall for that pur-
pose, and to drain the water into tanks at the outer edge.
The outer elevation of the structure may consist of brickwork filled in between
adjacent main pillars and resting on rolled steel joists running into the main
pillars and intermediate rolled steel joist uprights. The weight of this brick-
work will help to counteract overturning tendency.
Galleries can be arranged around the circumference of the structure to be
carried between the inner and outer stancheons of the main pillars and by inter-
mediate uprights.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
1: A span roof constructed on the suspension principle as herein described
and comprising as its essential particulars radial or converging ribs or prin-
ciples hung from chains or ropes, sustained by outer and inner pillars or the like,
and said ribs strengthened by girders and stiffening rods, substantially as herein
set forth and illustrated on the accompanying drawings.
2: A span roof of the kind described with central parts made in moveable
sections and means for drawing said sections outwards, as set forth.
3: The combination and arrangement of parts herein described and shewn
on the left hand side of Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawing, as and for the
purposes set forth.
4 The combination and arrangement of parts herein described and shewn
on the right hand side of Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings for the purpose
set forth.
1000
WALTER TESTER,
Applicant.