GB2359098A

GB2359098A - Flexible modular beam

Info

Publication number: GB2359098A
Application number: GB0019875A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Sourdeau Alejandr Martin-Lunas
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-02-10
Filing date: 2000-08-11
Publication date: 2001-08-15
Anticipated expiration: 2020-08-11
Also published as: CA2308529A1; ES2168052B1; GB0019875D0; FR2804981B1; ES2168052A1; DE10023031A1; JP2001220856A; FR2804981A1; GB2359098B; CA2308529C

Abstract

A flexible modular beam 1 comprises a plurality of hinged modules 2, each module having a compression bearing section and an attachment member 5 rigidly located at a distance from said compression bearing section for attachment to an elongate flexible element 4 of the beam such that the attachment member is prevented from moving longitudinally along said flexible member. During use the elongate flexible element bears the tensile forces in the beam and the compression sections bear the compressive forces in the beam. The flexible member may be a chain, cable or rope while the attachment members may be releasable clamps. When not in use the beam may be rolled up into a coil (Fig 3).

Description

2359098 FLEXIBLE BEAM In the State of the Art a variety of beams are known

that are differentiated by their constitution and use, their geometry defining the use of each one of these beams.

None of the beams included in the State of the Art have characteristics like those described below and which are the principal characteristics of the beam of the present invention.

The object of the present invention is a modular coilable beam.

According to the present invention there is provided a flexible modular beam comprised of a plurality of modules; wherein:

each of said modules comprises at least one compression bearing section capable of withstanding a compressive force; each end of said compression bearing sections is detachably and pivotally coupled to the end of said compression bearing section of the adjacent module or, at the end of a beam, to the beam support, by module coupling means; each of said modules further comprises a member rigidly located at a distance away from said compression bearing section for attachment of a flexible element; said beam further comprises an elongate flexible element, detachably attached to said flexible element attachment members of said modules so as to prevent movement of the flexible element attachment members relative to the elongate element at least in a direction perpendicular to the length of the elongate element; and each end of the elongate element is detachably rigidly attached to at least one of the flexible element attachment member of the end module and the beam support; whereby the elongate flexible element bears the tensile forces in the beam and the compression bearing sections bear the compressive forces in the beam.

Each module of the beam has an upper part subjected to compression forces, Figures 7a, 7b, 7c show different views of a solid module which is a variant of the embodiment of the modules appearing in Figures 5 and 6; Figure 8 shows a variation of the construction of the beam of the invention.

The beam 1 is formed by modules 2 rotatably linked together. By varying the number of modules and by varying the relative angles between adjacent modules the overall structure of the beam can be varied in both its length and geometry.

Each of the modules 2 has a section 3 which is rigid and/or solid and capable of bearing compressive forces. In some cases this section may be variable in shape.

The ends of each compression bearing section of each module are rotatably connected to the end of the compression bearing section of the adjacent module or, where applicable, to the beam support.

Each module also has an attachment member 5 which is rigidly located at some distance from the compression bearing section of the module and serves for attachment of a flexible element 4. The elongate flexible element 4, such as a cable, chain or rope, is attached to each flexible element attachment member 5. The flexible element attachment member 5 prevents any movement of the flexible elongate element 4 in a direction perpendicular to the length of the flexible elongate element relative to the compression bearing section 3 of each module 2.

Figure 1 shows the beam 1 being used as a portal beam 11, supported at either end by beam support 12. When a portal beam is loaded its upper side is in compression while the lower side is under tension. Therefore as shown in Figure 1 the beam 1 is orientated such that the compression bearing sections of each module are located on the upper side of the beam and the elongate flexible member is located on the lower side of the beam.

Figure 2 shows the beam 1 used as a cantilever 13. In a cantilever beam the upper side of the beam is in tension while the lower side of the beam is in compression. Therefore, as shown in Figure 2, the beam 1 is orientated such that the flexible elongate element is located on the upper side of the beam and the compression bearing sections of -Construction of stands for fairs and exhibitions.

-Summer or periodic tents or marquees with attractive designs.

-Safety in tunnels in a case of emergency or during construction.

-Use for formwork with variable shapes.

-Military use for any type of rapid construction adapted to the land and where access is difficult (hangars, bridges, camouflages, etc.).

If the beam is used in hangars, it allows the shaping beams of large hangars to adapt perfectly to the orography of the land. These structures, appropriately covered with camouflage canvas, make these locations, appear like a part of the terrain.

In the construction of tunnels, during the construction of an underground railway, railway, roads, etc. and in mining, it is necessary for safety reasons to quickly reinforce advances as they are made. In this work immediate needs arise in unforeseen shapes, and the use of traditional vertical beams is a bad solution because they create a barrier that makes continuation of the work difficult, at least for a time.

In formwork, the use of the beam allows special or artistic shapes to be made.

The beam can also be used for formwork where traditional vertical pillars are not appropriate, for example when constructing bridges or in works where the traffic of persons or merchandise should not be obstructed.

The invention is described further below with reference to exemplary embodiments and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a side view of the beam applied or used as a portal beam; Figure 2 shows a side view of the beam used as a cantilever beam; Figure 3 shows a view of the beam coiled in a spiral position when not in use; Figure 4 shows a perspective view of part of the beam fully deployed; Figure 5 shows a perspective view of one of the modules of the beam shown in Figure 4; Figures 6a, 6b, 6c show various views of a module which is a variant of that shown in Figure 5; Each of the protuberances 8 has a transverse hole 9 passing through it. When the protuberances of one module are in the gaps of the second module (and vice versa) the transverse holes 9 of all of the protuberances 8 line up allowing a pin 10 to be passed through all of the holes. This forms a rotatable coupling which is stable when the compression bearing frameworks are under compression and which also allows the compression bearing frameworks of adjacent modules to rotate relative to one another.

Figures 6a, 6b and 6c show a similar embodiment to that shown in Figures 4 and 5. It does however vary in the structural arrangement of the framework and of the layout of the protuberances 8. These two arrangements are given by way of example only and it will be appreciated that there may be a variety of structural arrangements for the framework of each module and a variety of possible layouts for the protuberances.

Figures 7a, 7b and 7c show a further embodiment of the module 2. In this case the elongate flexible element 4 and the flexible element attachment member 5 are the same as in the previous embodiments. However in this case the compression bearing section 3 of the module is made from a solid piece of material which has an extension on which the flexible element attachment member 5 is mounted. The ends of the compression bearing section again have protuberances 6 although in this embodiment the protuberances have no through holes. The protuberances 6 engage with recesses 7 on the compression bearing section of the adjacent module. As shown in Figures 7a to 7c the protuberances 6 are the shape of a half cylinder. Thus, the coupling between adjacent compression bearing sections of the modules is stable under compression but still provides freedom for the angle between the compression bearing sections of adjacent modules to vary. Variations of this embodiment, not shown, could employ the use of semi-spherical protuberances for example. This embodiment allows the modules to be stored and transported separately from one another. Such a beam is not coilable.

Figures 8a, 8b and Sc show a variation of the embodiments of Figures 4 and 5. Here the elongate flexible element is formed from a chain 13a. This results in a simplified design for the flexible element attachment member 5. In order to secure the the modules are located on the lower side of the beam.

For the beam to be stable, each end of the elongate flexible element must be secured. This may be to the flexible element attachment members 5 of the end modules 2 or it may be, as shown Figure 2, that the elongate flexible member is attached to the 5 beam support.

If the flexible element attachment members 5 of each module 2 fixedly secure the elongate flexible member 4, such that the flexible elongate member is restricted from moving relative to the module 2 in the direction of the length of the elongate member, then the length of each section of the flexible elongate member between the flexible element attachment members of adjacent modules will set the angle of attachment between the compression'bearing sections of adjacent modules. By this means the entire geometry of the beam 1 when fully deployed may be fixed, as shown in both Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 3 shows the beam 1 when not in use. As shown it may be coiled up as there is no restriction on the distance between flexible element attachment members 5 of adjacent modules being less than the length of the flexible elongate element formed between them.

Figure 4 shows a section of the beam 1 when fully deployed. Figure 5 shows 1 module of the embodiment shown in Figure 4. As shown the flexible elongate member 4 in this case is a rope or cable. The flexible element attachment member 5 is a clamp which realeasably grips the cable 4. The compression bearing section 3 of the module is a framework comprising a rectangular frame with diagonal cross bracings. Each of the vertices of the rectangular frame has one end of a support member attached to it. The other ends of the four support members meet at a single point to which is attached the flexible element attachment member (i.e. clamp) 5. At either end of the compression bearing framework of the module there are protuberances 8, with gaps 7 in between. As shown in Figure 4, when the compression bearing frameworks of two adjacent modules are coupled the protuberances of one module fits snugly in the gaps of the other module.

Claims

1. A flexible modular beam comprised of a plurality of modules; wherein:

2. A modular beam according to claim 1, wherein the flexible attachment members of a plurality of modules are detachably rigidly attached to the elongate flexible element.

3. A modular beam according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the beam is used as a cantilever.

4. A modular beam according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the beam is used as a portal.

A modular beam according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said module coupling means comprises: at least one protuberance at one end of the chain 13a, to prevent movement of the chain relative to the flexible element attachment module in the direction of the length of the chain, a pin 14 is in inserted in a through hole in the flexible element attachment member

5 and also passes through one of the links in the chain. A useful feature of this embodiment as shown in Figure 8c, is that the support members for the flexible element attachment member 5 may be rotatable at the compression bearing frame which means that each module, when not in use, may be folded flat.

The above description is meant by way of example only and should not be considered to limit the invention in any way. Specifically, it should be understood that references above to pins for connecting compression bearing sections of modules and references to pins 14 for securing a cable 13 a to flexible element attachment members 5 are not meant to limit these components and they may, for example, be bolts.

14. A flexible modular beam substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

compression bearing section of a first module; and at least one recess at the other end of said compression bearing section of a second module; and wherein the at least one protuberance at the end of the compression bearing section of the first module fits closely in the recess at the end of the compression bearing section of the second module to form an articulated coupling.

6. A modular beam according to claim 5, wherein the shape of said protuberance is a part-cylinder

7. A modular beam according to claim 5, wherein the shape of said protuberance is a part-sphere.

8. A modular beam according to claims 1 to 4, wherein said module coupling means comprises:

at least one protuberance at one end of the compression bearing section of a first module and at least one protuberance at the other end of the compression bearing section of a second module; at least one transverse hole through at least one of said protuberances on each module; and a pin that passes through at least one of said transverse holes in said protuberances on each module.

9. A modular beam according to claim 8, wherein when the beam is not in 20 use it can be rolled into a coil.

10. A modular beam according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein said elongate flexible element is a chain.

11. A modular beam according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein said elongate flexible element is a cable.

12. A modular beam according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein said elongate flexible element is a rope.

13. A modular beam according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the attachment members are realeasable clamps.