US 5,622,013 AGranted

Structure of multipurpose suspended roof arena capable of changing space volume and construction method thereof

AssigneeKajima Corporation

InventorsShigeru Ban, Masaru Ozaki, Arata Yoshida, Masahiro Hanyu, Takeshi Miyazaki, Seiichi Muramatsu, Haruji Tsubota, Naoya Sasaki

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Abstract

A multipurpose arena with a suspended roof and an interior which can be adjusted to accommodate events requiring different space arrangements. The roof is made of sections suspended between opposed supporting pylons and assumes a catenary shape. Rail-mounted, motor-driven, stands can be shifted from place to place depending on the event or events being catered. Partitions divide the arena into separate private compartments wherein separate events can be held simultaneously in each compartment.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A method for constructing a permanent suspended roof of a multipurpose suspended-roof arena capable of changing a space volume, said arena extending upwardly from ground level, including the steps of constructing part of a suspended roof constituted by aligning substantially rigid suspending members, each having opposite ends and each including a steel material which bears tension, and laminated lumber which surrounds the steel material and bears bending movement, in a row in one direction as a unit at ground level, and thereafter lifting and setting said unit between previously constructed spaced apart opposed permanent columns facing each other, said permanent columns having inside faces and upper ends, comprising the steps of:

(a) erecting spaced apart opposed temporary columns at said opposite ends of said suspending members, and movable in the direction in which said suspending members are aligned in a row, between said inside faces of said opposed permanent columns, said temporary columns having upper ends and lower ends and pulley means secured to said upper ends;
(b) setting a vertically movable lift between said temporary columns aligned in a row;
(c) securing a winch to each of said lower ends of said temporary columns;
(d) stretching a wire from said lift through each said pulley means at said upper end of each temporary column and then to said winch;
(e) thereafter constructing said unit on said lift longitudinally aligned between opposed temporary columns;
(f) operating said winch to raise said lift while adding tension to each suspending member of said unit;
(g) connecting said opposite ends of each suspending member to the said upper end of an adjacent permanent column;
(h) moving each temporary column by a certain distance;
and
(i) repeating the procedure from construction of the unit on said lift to moving of said temporary columns to set said suspending members between said opposed permanent columns.

7 more elements

The method of constructing a suspended roof arena having a floor, a predetermined floor width, floor side portions and opposite floor end portions, and a transverse centerline, comprising the steps of:

(a) erecting pairs of opposed roof-supporting pylons having upper and lower ends, and spacing apart said opposed roof-supporting pylons in excess of the width of said arena;
(b) placing and aligning a steel plate of sufficient length to extend between a pair of opposed pylons;
(c) forming a roof-supporting structural member having opposite end portions by encasing said steel plate with laminated wood;
(d) erecting a vertical hoisting tower having an upper end and a lower end adjacent each said opposite end portion of said roof supporting structural member;
(e) securing to each said vertical tower a wire rope winch at said lower end, said wire rope having a free running end and an end secured to said winch, said free running end being threaded through a wire rope pulley secured to said vertical tower upper end;
(f) securing each said wire rope free running end to one of said opposed end portions of said roof-supporting structural member;
(g) simultaneously winching each said wire rope secured to said opposed end portions of said roof-supporting structural member until said roof-supporting structural member is raised to said upper ends of said opposed roof-supporting pylons;
(h) securing said opposed ends of each roof-supporting structural member to said upper ends of said opposed roof-supporting pylons;
(i) repeating steps (a) through (h) with adjacent pairs of opposed pylons until sufficient roof-supporting structural members are secured to said upper ends of said roof-supporting pylons to support an entire roof;
and
(j) covering said roof-supporting structural members with roofing material.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.