Patent ID: 7849639

Claim:
A building structure comprising: a plurality of arc frame members spaced along a length of the building structure, each of said arc frame members extending from a first foot portion to a peak, and back to a second foot portion, each of said arc frame members comprising a plurality of beams, each of said beams comprising a central web extending between two opposed flanges, each of said flanges having two bifurcated ends, said ends defining c-shaped rope chases with openings; elongate membranes having beaded longitudinal edges, said membranes stretched between adjacent ones of said arc frame members, said longitudinal edges adapted to lie within said rope chases; bases having a ground-engaging surface and adapted to be slidably mated with said first and second foot portions so as to be movable between: an installation position in which the bases are connected to but extend away from said first and second foot portions creating a gap between the ground-engaging surface and the first and second foot portions to facilitate introduction of a leading edge of one of the beaded longitudinal edges of said membranes into the rope chase at the first foot portion, around the peak and back to the second foot portion; and an operation position in which the bases are moved proximate to the first and second foot portions so as to substantially remove the gap between the ground-engaging surface and the first and second foot portions after introduction of the longitudinal edges of the membranes into the rope chases; and a plurality of spreaders each adapted to extend between adjacent ones of said arc frame members for urging apart said arc frame members from each other and for maintaining said membranes in a stretched condition; wherein the rope chase openings of at least one of the two opposed flanges are substantially angled out of the line of their flange toward an interior space of the building structure in a manner so as to permit drawing said membranes through said rope chases with reduced friction during structure erection.