Prefabricated greenhouse structure
OwnerCharles R. Godeinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention concerns a prefabricated building structure, one which employs a series of structural elements of novel design that permits even an inexperienced person to quickly and easily assemble a building. These structural elements all are designed to hold taut at least one flexible sheet spanning the space defined by the elements, this sheet being received, with a resilient spline, in a keyhole-shaped slot provided in each structural member, this slot being of a unique design. A minimum of different structural elements are employed in the building, these different structural elements all being described in the following specification.
Claims33
A channel member, at least one side wall of which includes a longitudinal groove for receiving an edge portion of a flexible sheet and a resilient spline, the improvement comprising,
- the groove being generally keyhole-shaped in cross-section, the keyhole including a generally circular interior head opening, a constricted throat portion, and planar side portions contiguous with the side wall of the channel member, the side wall surfaces extending between the head opening and the side wall,
- one side portion defining an acute angle with respect to a plane tangent to the interior head opening at their line of intersection that is substantially less than the acute angle defined by the other side portion with the plane tangent to the interior head opening at their line of intersection.
A building panel of generally rectangular shape consisting of peripheral channel members and a flexible sheet spanning the space defined by the channel members, the edge portions of the flexible sheet being captured within longitudinal grooves provided in the channel members, at least one resilient spline received within said longitudinal grooves and holding the edge portions of the flexible sheet to the channel members, the longitudinal groove being generally keyhole-shaped in cross-section, the keyhole including a generally circular interior head opening, a constricted throat portion, and planar side wall portions connected to the side wall of the channel member, the side wall surfaces extending between the head opening and the side wall, the side portion over which the sheet edge portion under tension passes defining an angle with respect to the side wall is substantially different than the angle defined by the other side portion with the side wall, the side portion over which the sheet edge portion under tension passes also defining an acute angle with the plane tangent to the interior head opening at their line of intersection that is substantially less than the acute angle defined by the other side portion with the plane tangent to the interior head opening at their line of intersection, and means attaching the channel members together at their intersecting corners.
A building structure formed with a plurality of panels, the periphery of the panels being defined by channel members, the channel members including outwardly projecting planar wall portions, each having an outer enlarged boss, link means attaching adjacent elements of panels which are at a substantial angle to one another, the link means including cavities to receive and capture each of said bosses to thereby interlock the adjacent channel members, the elements of adjacent panels lying in generally the same plane being interlocked with one another to attach such panels together, whereby the panels are interlocked with one another to form a building structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.