Shelter

Abstract

Shelters as shown in FIG. 3, are constructed by filled bags ( 1 ), which typically have a trapezoidal cross-section. Such bags are divided into several compartments by internal webs ( 3 ) and can be laid over an arched lining ( 2 ). In end view, the bags are slightly wedge-shaped so that they resemble stones following the curve of a masonry arch, and the webs ( 3 ) follow the curve of the arch so that there is an inner compartment ( 4 ), a middle compartment ( 5 ), and an outer compartment ( 6 ) in each bag. In addition to shelters, the bags can be used to build barriers formed of courses of bags, with at least one side of the barrier having a corbelled out portion.

1 . A shelter comprising an arched lining forming at least a temporary support and an external elongate jacket of compartmented bags extending generally horizontally and filled with a filling material, the bags being closed apart from inlets through which the filling material is injected and being assembled with the compartments of each bag progressively spaced from the lining.  
     
     
         2 . A shelter according to any  claim 1 , wherein the lining is removable when the ;jacket is complete and is thus available to provide the lining for a further similar shelter.  
     
     
         3 . A shelter according to  claim 2 , wherein the lining is a ribbed framework.  
     
     
         4 . A shelter according to  claim 2 , wherein the lining is a rigid sheet material.  
     
     
         5 . A shelter according to any preceding claim wherein at least some of the filling material is a particulate material that remains un-solidified within the bags.  
     
     
         6 . A shelter according to any preceding claim, wherein at least some of the filling material is a combination of substances that solidify within the bags.  
     
     
         7 . A shelter according to any preceding claim, wherein means are provided for positively interconnecting adjacent bags.  
     
     
         8 . A shelter according to  claim 9 , wherein the interconnecting means are elongate elements passed through loops or eyes provided externally of the bags.  
     
     
         9 . A shelter according to  claims 1  to  7 , wherein adjacent abutting faces of the bags are formed so that adjacent bags mutually key together.  
     
     
         10 . A shelter according to  claim 9 , wherein each compartment of each bag is partially offset from the adjacent compartment circumferentially of the arch, thereby making each keying face a mixture of ribs and grooves.  
     
     
         11 . A method of assembling a shelter as claimed in  claim 7  or  8 , wherein the lining is erected, the bags are arranged over it and interconnected, and the compartments are progressively filled from the innermost compartments of the lowest bags to the or each outer compartment at the crown of the arch, no compartment being filled until the next one or ones circumferentially lower and radially inner have been filled.  
     
     
         12 . A method of assembling a shelter as claimed in  claim 9  or  10 , wherein the lining is erected, the lowermost bags are positioned and filled from the innermost compartment outwards, the next lowermost bags are positioned and similarly filled, and so on to the crown of the arch.