Wall structure with releasable canvas panels and aerodynamic canvas panel supporting braces

Abstract

The explosion-safe wall includes a canvas wall structure and a wall support frame fixedly anchored to the ground. The canvas wall structure defines opposite first and second sides facing in respective opposite first and second tangential directions and comprises a brace assembly including a number of braces each having a convex brace wall oriented towards the first tangential direction. The canvas wall structure also comprises brackets fixedly attaching the brace assembly to the wall support frame, at least one canvas panel, and a number of yieldingly releasable attachment joints releasably attaching the canvas panel to corresponding braces, with the attachment joints defining a yielding resistance threshold. Upon a blast impinging on the canvas panel towards the second tangential direction with sufficient force to overcome the yielding resistance threshold of the attachment joints, the attachment joints will yieldingly release the canvas panels from their corresponding braces, with the convex brace walls oriented towards the first tangential direction providing an aerodynamic shape that will deflect the blast to help prevent the blast from blowing the braces away.

1 . A canvas wall structure for use on a wall support frame upstanding from the ground, said canvas wall structure defining opposite first and second sides facing in respective opposite first and second tangential directions and comprising: 
 a brace assembly destined to be mounted to the wall support frame and comprising a number of braces each having a convex brace wall oriented towards said first tangential direction;    at least one canvas panel; and    a number of yieldingly releasable attachment joints releasably attaching said at least one canvas panel to corresponding said braces, said attachment joints defining a yielding resistance threshold;    wherein upon a blast impinging on said at least one canvas panel towards said second tangential direction with sufficient force to overcome said yielding resistance threshold of said attachment joints, said attachment joints will yieldingly release said canvas panels from said corresponding braces, with said convex brace walls oriented towards said first tangential direction providing an aerodynamic shape that will deflect the blast to help prevent the blast from blowing said braces away.    
     
     
         2 . A canvas wall structure as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said braces comprise a leading edge oriented towards said first tangential direction and inclined brace walls receding from said leading edge towards said second tangential direction, said leading edge and receding brace walls forming said convex brace wall.  
     
     
         3 . A canvas wall structure as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said braces each have a triangular cross-section with said leading edge corresponding to one edge of said triangular cross-section and with said receding brace walls corresponding to first and second flat brace walls converging towards and linked at said leading edge.  
     
     
         4 . A canvas wall structure as defined in  claim 3 , wherein said braces each define a third flat brace wall linking said first and second brace walls and facing towards said second tangential direction, with said at least one canvas panel being attached to said third flat brace walls with said releasable attachment joints.  
     
     
         5 . A canvas wall structure as defined in  claim 3 , wherein said braces  15  comprise a hollow rigid outer shell having said triangular cross-section, and an insulating inner filler within said hollow rigid outer shell.  
     
     
         6 . A canvas wall structure as defined in  claim 3 , wherein said number of braces are arranged in an array of successive horizontally spaced-apart vertical braces linked by horizontal braces to form said brace assembly.  
     
     
         7 . A canvas wall structure as defined in  claim 6 , further comprising a number of additional canvas panels, with each said canvas panel being attached between corresponding bordering horizontal and vertical braces.  
     
     
         8 . A canvas wall structure as defined in  claim 7 , further comprising brackets for fixedly attaching said brace assembly to the wall support frame, said brackets supporting corresponding ones of said horizontal and vertical braces.  
     
     
         9 . A canvas wall structure as defined in  claim 8 , wherein said brace assembly comprises attachment members allowing some of said braces to be attached to other corresponding braces.  
     
     
         10 . A canvas wall structure as defined in  claim 4 , wherein said attachment joints each comprise a bolt threadingly engaging said third brace wall of a corresponding said brace, said bolt having a head portion protruding away from said third brace wall, and said canvas panel comprising a peripheral lip portion which has holes that are larger than said bolt heads, said attachment joints each further comprising a yieldingly deformable washer having an inner hole that is engageable by said bolt and that is smaller than said bolt head, and an outer diameter that is larger than said holes in said canvas panel peripheral lip portion, said bolt engaging both said washer and said canvas panel holes to attach said canvas panel lip portion to said third brace wall, said yieldingly deformable washers defining said yielding resistance threshold by being capable of deformably releasing said bolt heads upon an explosion blast impinging on said canvas panel with sufficient force.  
     
     
         11 . An explosion-safe wall comprising a canvas wall structure and a wall support frame destined to be fixedly anchored to the ground, said canvas wall structure defining opposite first and second sides facing in respective opposite first and second tangential directions and comprising: 
 a brace assembly comprising a number of braces each having a convex brace wall oriented towards said first tangential direction;    brackets fixedly attaching said brace assembly to said wall support frame;    at least one canvas panel; and    a number of yieldingly releasable attachment joints releasably attaching said at least one canvas panel to corresponding said braces, said attachment joints defining a yielding resistance threshold;    wherein upon a blast impinging on said at least one canvas panel towards said second tangential direction with sufficient force to overcome said yielding resistance threshold of said attachment joints, said attachment joints will yieldingly release said canvas panels from said corresponding braces, with said convex brace walls oriented towards said first tangential direction providing an aerodynamic shape that will deflect the blast to help prevent the blast from blowing said braces away.    
     
     
         12 . An explosion-safe wall as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said braces comprise a leading edge oriented towards said first tangential direction and inclined brace walls receding from said leading edge towards said second tangential direction, said leading edge and receding brace walls forming said convex brace wall.  
     
     
         13 . An explosion-safe wall as defined in  claim 12 , wherein said braces each have a triangular cross-section with said leading edge corresponding to one edge of said triangular cross-section and with said receding brace walls corresponding to first and second flat brace walls converging towards and linked at said leading edge.  
     
     
         14 . An explosion-safe wall as defined in  claim 13 , wherein said braces each define a third flat brace wall linking said first and second brace walls and facing towards said second tangential direction, with said at least one canvas panel being attached to said third flat brace walls with said releasable attachment joints.  
     
     
         15 . An explosion-safe wall as defined in  claim 13 , wherein said braces comprise a hollow rigid outer shell having said triangular cross-section, and an insulating inner filler within said hollow rigid outer shell.  
     
     
         16 . An explosion-safe wall as defined in  claim 13 , wherein said number of braces are arranged in an array of successive horizontally spaced-apart vertical braces linked by horizontal braces to form said brace assembly.  
     
     
         17 . An explosion-safe wall as defined in  claim 16 , further comprising a number of additional canvas panels, with each said canvas panel being attached between corresponding bordering horizontal and vertical braces.  
     
     
         18 . An explosion-safe wall as defined in  claim 17 , wherein said brace assembly comprises attachment members allowing some of said braces to be attached to other corresponding braces.  
     
     
         19 . An explosion-safe wall as defined in  claim 18 , wherein said wall support frame comprises upright ground-engaging posts and wherein a number of said vertical braces are installed along said posts and are attached thereto with said brackets.  
     
     
         20 . An explosion-safe wall as defined in  claim 14 , wherein said attachment joints each comprise a bolt threadingly engaging said third brace wall of a corresponding said brace, said bolt having a head portion protruding away from said third brace wall, and said canvas panel comprising a peripheral lip portion which has holes that are larger than said bolt heads, said attachment joints each further comprising a yieldingly deformable washer having an inner hole that is engageable by said bolt and that is smaller than said bolt head, and an outer diameter that is larger than said holes in said canvas panel peripheral lip portion, said bolt engaging both said washer and said canvas panel holes to attach said canvas panel lip portion to said third brace wall, said yieldingly deformable washers defining said yielding resistance threshold by being capable of deformably releasing said bolt heads upon an explosion blast impinging on said canvas panel with sufficient force.