Technical field of the invention

In a first aspect this invention refers to a roof struc¬ ture of the fabric or awning type, comprising a covering fabric designed to be supported by a frame, which, during active use, is arranged to slant downwardly from a first, upper frame piece towards a second, lower frame piece.

Background and prior art

Roof structures or so called awnings of the art gener¬ ally described above exist in practice in different embodiments and for various purposes. In a simple embodiment the fabric is, along opposite edges (e.g. longside edges), attached to two spaced-apart and parallel frame pieces which together with two other transverse frame pieces form a rigid frame. This fabric- supporting frame is mounted with a suitable roof fall, for in¬ stance alongside a housewall in order to shelter the horizontal ground or area immediately in front of the house wall from the sun and/or from rain or snow fall. Then, the awning forms a roof shelter over a veranda, an open-air cafe, a sales space or the like, connected to the house in question. In a free-stand¬ ing embodiment the awning may be included as part of a roof of for instance a market stall or the like, the upper frame piece being common to two fabric-supporting frames, each one of which individually slants downwardly/outwardly from the common frame piece serving as an apex.

An advantage of awning or fabric roofs in comparison with stationary panel roofs is that it can be mounted and dis ^¬ mounted in a simple and quick manner. It is for instance possi¬ ble to neatly put up the awning roof over a veranda at the beginning of the warm summer season and thereafter it may like¬ wise neatly be taken down at the end of the season. An incon- venience of previously of known roof structures of the fabric or awning type is, however, that it is difficult to secure an accurate stretching of the fabric. Even if far-reaching meas¬ ures are initially taken to tightly and accurately stretch the fabric in the span between the upper and the lower frame pieces

also fabrics of highest quality tend to slacken at least a little. This leads to the result that water falling down in the form of precipitation is accumulated in pools in the area imme¬ diately above the lower frame piece. At the beginning it is most often a question of water pools having a moderate size, but gradually, as the weight of the water acts on the fabric the latter is extended and more and more slackened. When this occurs the fabric will not only accommodate and maintain in¬ creasing amounts of water in connection with rainy weather but also flutter in connection with wind; the fluttering being es¬ pecially annoying when the roof in question is placed at a low level, e.g. with the low frame piece approximately at the height of a man. Additionally, a slack and shapeless fabric makes the roof in its entirety look less attractive.

Objects and features of the invent--inn

The present invention aims at setting aside the above- mentioned inconveniences of previously known roof structures of the awning or fabric type. Therefore, a basic object of the in- vention is to provide a structure in which the fabric is always kept accurately stretched and in which the risk for the forma¬ tion of pools on top of the fabric is eliminated. A further object is to provide a roof structure having an aesthetically attractive appearance which radically differs from the appear- ance of previously known awning roofs. Another object of the invention is to provide a structure which notwithstanding the benefits of an accurate stretching of the fabric and an aes¬ thetically attractive appearance, is simple and inexpensive to manufacture. According to the invention at least the basic object is attained by means of the features defined in the characterizing clause of claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the roof structure according to the invention are further defined in claims 2 to 8. In a second aspect the invention also relates to a fab¬ ric set for the provision of a roof structure together with a separate arbitrary frame which may be of an existing nature. The features of the fabric set according to the invention are defined in claim 9.

Further elucidation of the prior art

By FR 2 622 913 a structure is previously known which includes a fabric connected to a plurality of spaced-apart and parallel, long and narrow supporting elements of a rigid na¬ ture. In this case the structure is, however, a ceiling inten¬ ded to be mounted under a transparent roof panel of a so called sun parlour, the fabric serving, in an extended condition, to shelter the interior of the parlour against insolation. This structure has no stretching means whatsoever and even if the fabric in the drawings of FR 2 622 913 is shown with billowing or undulating portions between adjacent supporting elements, there are, accordingly, no possibilities of forming the fabric into tightly stretched, substantially V-shaped sections in the manner being characteristic to the present invention.

Brief description of the appended drawings In the drawings :

Fig 1 is a perspective view showing a roof structure accor- ding to the invention connected to a house wall,

Fig 2 is an enlarged perspective detail view showing parts of the structure according to fig 1,

Fig 3-4 are perspective detail views showing embodiments having alternative stretching means, and Fig 5-6 are end views illustrating further alternative embodi¬ ments of the invention.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention Reference numeral 1 in fig 1 generally designates a frame connected to a house wall 2, said frame comprising first and second frame pieces 3,4 of which the first one is situated at a higher level than the latter one, whereby the frame is given a certain inclination in relation to the horizontal plane. A plurality of long and narrow, stiff supporting ele- ments 5 extend between the frame pieces 3,4, the top sides of said elements being located at a certain level above the in¬ clined plane in which the top sides of the frame pieces 3,4 are situated. Thus, the elements 5 form girders projecting upwardly in relation to the frame pieces 3,4. On these girder elements 5

a fabric 6 is laid out. In the valley-like areas between adja¬ cent girder elements 5 stretching means are arranged in the form of members 7 which, in the embodiment shown, are long and narrow and stiff like the girder elements 5. By means of these stretching members 7 the portions of the fabric extending be¬ tween adjacent girder elements are stretched downwardly while forming the fabric into tightly stretched and substantially V- shaped sections.

In the embodiment shown in fig 1 the fabric 6 is, basi- cally, of a rectangular shape having upper and lower longside edges 8,8' and opposite shortside edges 9 and 9' respectively. In practice the fabric may be attached at one short-side edge 9', while the same at the opposite shortside edge 9 is wound onto a roller or shaft 10 which is held down by means of a stretching member designated 11, which in the example is shown in the form of a ring or band of rubber. By means of the roller 10 and the stretching member 11 the fabric 6 may accordingly, at need, be stretched also afterwards. In this context it should, however, be emphasized that it is also conceivable to permanently fix the fabric at both edges 9,9', the stretching of the fabric being effected solely by means of the stretching members 7.

Reference is now made to fig 2 which in detail illustra¬ tes a preferred embodiment of a connection between an indivi- dual frame piece 4 and an individual girder element 5. In this case it is assumed that the frame piece 4 as well as the girder element 5 consist of wooden elements or boards, which are interconnected by means of a bolt 12 and an associated finger nut 13. At its extremity the girder element 5 is cut on the underside while forming a recess confined by a shoulder surface 14. Along the inner edge of the lying board consti-tuting the frame piece 4 a countersinking is cut out, the width of which corresponds to the thickness of the girder element 5. Through holes 16,16* for the bolt 12 are recessed in the girder element 5 and the frame board 4. When the girder element is mounted with its shoulder surface 14 abutting the bottom surface of the countersinking 15 and when the bolt 12 is applied in the holes 16,16' it is evident that a rigid connection is provided bet¬ ween the girder element 5 and the frame board, the girder ele-

ment extending substantially perpendicularly to the frame board.

Also the stretching member 7 may consist of a long wooden element, which in the example according to fig 2 has a fixing member 17, e.g. in the form of a screw, for co-operation with a corresponding fixing member 17' on the frame board 4 via an elastic ring 18, e.g. a rubber ring. By means of this ring 18 the stretching member 7 can be held resiliently urged against the upperside of the fabric 6 while forming the tightly stretched V-sections according to fig 1. As further indicated in fig 2 also the roller 10 on which the fabric is applied may be provided with a fixing member 17 for making it possible to elastically keep down the edge portion of the fabric by means of a rubber ring 18. Though the stretching members 7 per se may be of uniform height or thickness along their entire length, it is also possible to provide the same with an increased height in the middle, as indicated in fig 1. In such a way it is guar¬ anteed that the fabric is efficiently kept down also in the area half-way between the frame pieces 3,4. In the embodiment exemplified in fig 2 the girder ele¬ ments 5 are integrated with the frame in question inasmuch as the elements form the single connection between the two frame pieces 3,4. It is, of course, also conceivable to arrange sepa¬ rate projecting girder elements on a separate frame which in addition to spaced-apart upper and low frame pieces also in¬ cludes two transverse side pieces. Though the girder elements 5 shown in fig 1 are parallel and perpendicular to the frame pie¬ ces 3,4 it is also conceivable to incline certain girder ele¬ ments or all girder elements relative to the frame pieces, e.g. in such a manner that every second pair of girder elements tapers upwardly and every second pair tapers downwardly.

Fig 1 illustrates how the lowest frame piece 4 spaced from the house wall 2 is supported by a number of posts 19 applied against the ground. These posts may be rigidly connec- ted to the roof frame if the upper frame piece 3 is rigidly connected to the housewall. It is, however, also conceivable to connect the frame, i.e. the frame piece 3, to the house wall 2 by articulations allowing a folding of the roof structure from the folded-out position as shown to a position folded-in

against the house wall. In this case the posts 19 may be con¬ nected to the lower and outer frame piece 4 either detachably or by articulations.

Fig 3 illustrates an alternative embodiment in which a flexible element is used as a stretching member 7' instead of the stiff or rigid element according to fig 1 and 2. In prac¬ tice the member 7' may consist of a band or a strop of rubber, which at opposites ends advantageously may have one or more eyes or holes for the application to a screw or another attach- ment member 17' on the frame piece 4. Also in the example according to fig 3 the stretching member in question is located on the upper side of the fabric 6, more particularly at the bottom of the V-section of the fabric.

Fig 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment in which the fabric 6 has, at opposite edges, merely simple attachments 22, such as rings, eyelets, short strops or the like for the attachment of stretching means including some type of spring function. It is for instance possible to use the attachments for applying rubber members, metallic tension springs or the like by means of which the proper fabric may be stretched in a linear portion between the upper and lower frame pieces.

Fig 5 illustrates an embodiment in which the stretching element 7" in question is placed in a protected position under the fabric 6. In this case a strip 20 or the like is sewn, wel¬ ded or otherwise attached to the underside of the fabric 6, said strip forming together with the fabric a pocket 21 in which the stretching member 7" is inserted. In this embodiment the stretching member itself is protected against rain, sun and other climatic affection.

Fig 6 illustrates an embodiment in which two frames 1' , 1" are interconnected by articulations 23 allowing the frames to be pivoted or folded relative to each other. Each frame is provided with a fabric 6 which has been formed into V-sections by means of girder elements and stretching means in the manner described above. The two frames may together form a roof struc¬ ture having a V-shaped cross section, e.g. above a market stall, as indicated in fig 6. It is, however, also conceivable to design the structure in such a way that the two frames

assume a position in which they are located in a common plane in extension of each other while forming a roof the width of which is twice the width of the single frame. In both of these embodiments a separate covering fabric piece 24 or an overlap- ping piece may advantageously be arranged in extension of one of the fabrics, said fabric piece covering the articulated con¬ nection 23 between the frames.

Conceivable modifications of the invention The invention is not limited merely to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings. Thus, instead of elements of wood, elements of another material may be used, e.g. hollow profiles of aluminium or plastic, for forming the necessary frame pieces, girder elements as well as stretching means.

In practice the roof structure according to the inven¬ tion may be delivered from the manufacturer in the condition shown in fig 1, i.e. including a fabric, suitable stretching means as well as a frame in which the girder elements are inte- grated. It is, however, also conceivable to manufacture a sepa¬ rate fabric set which is suited for the application on an ex¬ isting or arbitrary supporting frame. In this case the delivery set includes a fabric, suitable stretching means as well as the necessary girder elements, which are applied on and connected to the existing frame. In the latter case the girder elements may advantageously be permanently connected to the fabric, whereby the girder elements automatically get predetermined positions relative to each other when the fabric is spread out on top of the frame.