Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
sEMI-susM~RGIBLE SPHERICAL RESIDENTIAL STRU~TURE
B~CKGROUND OF THE ~NVENTION
The present invention relates to a semi-submer-
gihle spherical residential structure which is to be floated
semi-submerged in a body of water.
Residential structures whlch have in the past been
employed in an ocean environment have generally u-tilized
various types of platforms either mounted on fixed pilings
or floating and anchored at desired locations. Such struc-
tures have often been unable to withstand extreme weatherconditions because of the requirement for extreme structural
rigidity. Such structures are also severely limited in size
because large structures require tremendous strength in
order to withstand the direct impact of ocean waves and wind
under storm conditions. Morever, the structures which have
been mounted on pilings suffer the additional disadvantages
of being difficult to move from one location to another and
usually being prone to attack by marine life such as wood
borers.
It is desirable to provide a structure which can
function for a number of different seagoing uses including
offshore residential structures, structures intended to
provide seagoing recreational activities including under-
water observation, floating stations for underwater ex-
plora-tion and study and many other uses. The structure
should have an optimum strength to weight ratio, be designed
so as to eliminate points of concentrated stress, be stable
against pitch and roll in response to wave action be rela-
tively unsinkable and to have sufficient strength to be able
to withstand accidental grounding.
~L86~
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
~ ccording to the invention there is provided a
semi-submergible spherical residential structure to be
floated in a body of water having a substantially spherical
5 shell and a hollow annular sponson affixed to the exterior
of the shell around its maximum girth with the sponson being
parallel to the wa~er s-~rface when the structure is floating
in a body of water. The outer diameter of the sponson is
sufficiently large so as to stabilize the shell when floating
in a body of water and has a width sufficiently great so as
to provide adequate reserve bouyancy to the shell when the
latter is weighted.
Preferably, the outer diameter of the sponson is
greater than 1.5 times the diameter of the sphere.
The width of the sponson as measured along the
sponson axis from one line of intersection with the shell to
the other is greater than about 1/3 the distance from the
water line to the lowest point of the structure when float-
ing in water.
The structure may include a plurality of spaced
apart floors parallel to the annular ring and supported rom
the interior surface of the shell as well as having an
access door in the shell above the sponson.
The volume displacement of the sponson is prefer-
ably sufficient to keep the shell afloat in the event an
opening develops in the shell below the level of the sponson
while the structure is floating.
In another aspect of the invention there is
provided a method of fabricating a spherical residential
structure which includes fabricating a lower spherical half
shell having an annular spollson integral with the half
shell. To the interior surface of the bottom of the lower
half shell there is erected a plurality of room forming
walls. With the walls thus formed machinery and e~uipment
are then installed in the rooms. A lower floor is then
formed over the room w~alls. Next a main floor integral with
an annular downwardly inclined skirt and an integral up-
wardly and outwardly inclined sponson wall is formed such
that the bottom of the skirt is mounted on the upper edge of
the lower half shell. An annular wall portion having an
upper surface continuous with the upper surface of the main
floor is erected such that it is supported around its outer
periphery by the sponson wall and around its inner periphery
by the main floor. Finally an upper spherical half shell is
erected over an upper interior edge 60 of the sponson 14.
Preferably, a plurality of viewing plates or
windows are formed around the lower half shell above the
level of the lower floor.
The spherical shape of the residential structuxe
optimizes the strength to weight ratio and minimizes points
of concentrated stress which would be inherent in most other
shapes. By weighting the structure below the water line
dynamic stability is achieved by location of the center of
gravity below the water line. The annular sponson provi~es
several advantages including "form stability" or stability
and damping against pitch and roll movement in response to
wave action. The sponson, moreover, provides strengthening
of the sphere in an area most likely to suffer damage in a
collision.
An awning effec-t created by the lower edge of the
sponson enhances underwater visibility through the pluralit~
of below sea level viewing plates incorporated into the
lowex half shell. Finally the sponson provides a life
support system for the structure through the creation of an
air.tight chai~er capable of keeping the structure afloat in
the event of collapse of any one of the under sea viewing
plates. The sponson also provides a convenient place to
incorporate a deck, for providing a mounting surface fox
anchor winches, and a boarding and embarcation platform.
The spherical residential structure thus defined
is capable of a multitude of uses including use as a resi-
dential quarters, a hotel, a research lab and sea life
observation platform, a fish farming base, an offshore base
for offshore oil rigs, and a restaura~t-bar, a spa or an
aquarium. The foregoing list is not intended to be ex-
haustive but merely to provide an indication of the range of
possible uses for the structure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is an elevation view of the structure in
section,
Figure 2 is a plan view in section through line 2-
2 of Figure 1,
Figure 3 is a plan view in section taken along the
line 3-3 of Figure 1,
Figure 4 is a plan ~iew in section taken along the
line 4-4 of Figure 1, and
Figure 5 is a plan view in section taken along the
line 5-5 of Figure 1.
--4--
I)ESCRI:PTION OF THE PREFER~ED EMBODIMENTS
The spherical residential structure 10 illustrated
in Figure 1 includes a lower spherical half shell 12 which
is integral with a hollow annular sponson 14. Mounted over
the upper inner edge 16 of the sponC;on 14 is an upper
spherical half shell 18. At the bottom of the lower spheri-
cal half shell 12 (see ~igure 1 and Figure 2) there are
formed a plurality of vertical walls 20 which define a
central cylindrical room 22 and a plurality of radially
directed walls 24 connecting with the walls 20 which define
a plurality of rooms 26 and 28 around the central cylindri-
cally shaped room 22. Two of the latter rooms 26 and and 28
define soil ~anks for storing waste material and two of the
rooms 30 and 32 define tanks for storing fuel. The remain-
ing rooms provide stora~e areas for parts and areas forauxiliary machinery. The central eylindrical room 22
accommodates a 120 V.A.C. generator 34, an air eonditioning
unit 36, a work beneh 38 and other equipment (not shown).
In the eentral eylindrieal room 22 there are a plurality of
gratings 40 under which there are located sumps 42.
Over top of the vertical walls 20 and 24 there is
a lower floor 44 which extends around the interior surface
of the lower half shell 12. The floor 44 also includes an
access port 4~ to the central room 22 and a plurality of
escape hatches ~48) which function as aecess or escape ports
-to the rooms below (see Figure 3).
Formed into the wall of the lower half shell 12 at
a level above the :Lower floor 44 are a plurality of spaced
apart viewing plates 50 which enable observation of marine
life exterior of the shell 12. The viewing plates 50 are
located immediately below the sponson 14. A maln floor 52
is formed approximately intermediate of the sponson 14
extending behind its outer periphery to a downwardly and
outwardly depending skirt 54 which rests on the edge 56 of
the lower half shell 12. A sponson wall 58 is formed
integrally with the skirt 56 and extends from the outer
periphery of the latter up to a top edge 60 of the sponson
14. Incorporated into the sponson wall 58 is at least one
access port 62 for permitting access from the interior of
the structure into the interior 64 of the sponson 14.
An annular floor portion 66 whose top surface is
continuous with the top surface of the main floor 52 extends
from the outer periphery of the latter to the sponson wall
58 and is supported on the latter by an integrally formed
shoulder thereon. The central area of the main floor is
supported by a plurality of columns extending from the
bottom surface of the main floor 52 to the top surface of
the lower floor 44.
Above the main floor 52 there is suspended a loft
floor 68 by means of a plurality of support posts 70. A
central vent tube 72 extends from the bottom of the lower
shell 12 centrally thereof to slightly above the top of the
upper half shell 18. The vent tube is designed to extract
gases eminating from the spaces below the lower floor 44
~5 which might otherwise travel up into the living area of the
structure. The top open end of the vent tube 72 has affixed
a mushroom shaped rain cover 74. A spiral staircase 76
coiling around the vent pipe interconnects the lower floor
44 with the main floor 52 and the latter with the loft floor
68. A plurality of water tanks 78 are installed around the
interior of the sponson 14. Formed into the upper half
shell 18 is a door 80 which provides access from the inter-
ior of the structure to a deck 82 formed on top of the
sponson 14 by means of stairs 61 extending from the main
floor 52. The upper surface of the sponson 14 also acts as
a support base for anchor winches 34, anchor warp rollers
86, ladders 88 and other structures. On the outer vertical
wall of the sponson 14 there may be incorporated a plurality
of spaced apart eye bolts 90 which permit attachment of
lines to the structure.
Additional viewing windows or plates 92 and 94
trape7oidal in shape are spaced around the upper spherical
half shell 18. The plates are comprised of tempered or
laminated dual pane glass windows housed in aluminium frames
and are adapted to be of the pop out or escape hatch type.
The additional views are illustrated in Figures 4
and 5 illustrate plan views showing the various features
discussed with respect to Figure 1.
The sponson 14 is Iocated proximate the maximum
girth of the spherical structure such that the water line of
the assembled skructure is intermediate the sponson 14. The
width of the sponson 14 as taken from the line of inter-
section of the latter with the upper spherical half shell 18
and the corresponding line of intersection with the lower
spherical half shell 12 is at least 1/3 the vertical dis-
tance from the water line to the lowest point of the struc-
ture below the water. By fabricating the sponson 14 with
such a width and by ensuring that the outer diameter of the
sponson 14 is greater than 1 1/2 times the diametex of the
sphere, adequate reserve bouyancy is provided in the event
--7--
-the structure becomes weighted by an additional load such
as, for example, water entering into the structure as a
result of a rupture of one of the viewing windows 50.
A further eEfect of making the outer diameter of
the sponson l4 more than 1 1/2 times the diameter of the
sphere is to provide form stability for damping of the
pitch, roll, yawl and surge of the structure in response to
wave and wind action.
The method of fabricating the spherical residen-
tial structure involves first fabricating the lower spheri-
cal half shell 12 and sponson 14. The material used is
reinforced con~rete which has the advantage of providing
sufficient structural strength and being impervious to
water. With the lower half shell 12 thus formed the plura-
lity of room forming walls 20 and 2~ are then formed in thelower portion of the lower half shell 12. Over top of the
walls 20 and 24 there is formed the lower floor 44.
Next a main floor 52 and integràl downwardly and
outwardly inclined skirt 54 is formed integral with the
sponson wall 58. The lower floor is supported centrally
thereof by a plurality of columns 55 extending from the top
surface of the lower floor 44 to the bottom surface of the
main floor 52.
An upper spherical half shell 18 is erected over
the upper interior edge 60 of the sponson 14. Following
erection of the upper spherical half shell 18, the central
vent tube 72, the staircase 76 and other parts of the
structure are then installed. The vent tube 72 is installed
so that a short portion thereof protrudes through the upper
--8
36~
central portion of the upper half shell 18.
A wooden decking assembled over the top surface of
-the sponson 14 provides a flat area for walking.
In the event of rupture of a viewing plates or
window 50 in the area between the main floor 52 and the
lower floor 44 the structure becomes weighted with water.
However, the displacement required to submerge the sponson
1~ in view of the fact that it is hollow is sufficient to
maintain the entire structure afloat.
The area within the vent tube 72 provides a means
for locating service lines while that between the skirt 54,
the sponson wall 58 and the floor portion 66 is used as a
sump.
Obviously the various hatches 46 and 48 leading to
the rooms located below the lower floor 44 should be gas
tight to avoid entry of gases produced by the generator, the
soil tank, fuel tank etc.
Other various modifications, and departures lying
within the spirit of the invention and scope as defined by
the appended claims will be obvious to those skilled in the
art.
