Protective shelter

Abstract

A protective shelter is provided offering opposite outer supports and a roof structure extending between the supports, wherein the roof structure comprises a first layer covering a space between the outer supports and providing a first level of protection to the shelter and a second layer in the form of a pre-detonation screen providing a second level of protection to the shelter, wherein the pre-detonation screen comprises a plurality of individual panels arranged and supported over and spaced from the first layer, at least one of the individual panels comprising a first panel material presenting a substantially closed surface to an incoming projectile and at least one second panel material forming an edging strip to the first panel material and being of greater rigidity than the first panel material.

1 . A protective shelter offering opposite outer supports and a roof structure extending between the supports, wherein the roof structure comprises a first layer covering a space between the outer supports and providing a first level of protection to the shelter and a second layer in the form of a pre-detonation screen providing a second level of protection to the shelter, wherein the pre-detonation screen comprises a plurality of individual panels arranged and supported over and spaced from the first layer, at least one of the individual panels comprising a first panel material presenting a substantially closed surface to an incoming projectile and at least one second panel material forming an edging strip to the first panel material and being of greater rigidity than the first panel material. 
     
     
         2 . The protective shelter according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 a. the second panel material is of greater shear strength than the first panel material; and/or   b. the second panel material is of greater tensile strength than the first panel material; and/or   c. the second panel material is less brittle than the first panel material; and/or the second panel material is of greater smoothness than the first panel material.   
     
     
         3 . The protective shelter according to  claim 1 , wherein the edging strip is formed by at least one pre-detonation screen edge element formed from the second panel material. 
     
     
         4 . The protective shelter according to  claim 3 , wherein the pre-detonation screen edge element comprises a channel into which an edge of the panel is received. 
     
     
         5 . The protective shelter according to  claim 4 , wherein the pre-detonation screen edge element comprises two opposed channels into which the edges of two neighbouring panels are received. 
     
     
         6 . The protective shelter according to  claim 1 , wherein the first layer is supported on at least one of the outer supports by an anchor beam comprising a first longitudinal beam element comprising a plurality of anchor beam components arranged end to end and a second neighbouring longitudinal beam element side by side with the first element and comprising a plurality of anchor beam components arranged end to end, joints between individual anchor beam components of the first longitudinal element being staggered with respect to joints between individual anchor beam elements of the second longitudinal element. 
     
     
         7 . The protective shelter according to  claim 1 , wherein the pre-detonation screen is supported above the first layer by a plurality of rafters extending from the first layer and by a purlin supporting at least a plurality of the rafters, the purlin comprising a plurality of individual purlin components overlapping with and staggered with respect to one or more neighbouring purlin components and connected together by one of more connecting elements to form a continuous but staggered purlin. 
     
     
         8 . A protective shelter offering opposite outer supports and a roof structure extending between the supports, wherein the roof structure comprises a first layer covering a space between the outer supports and providing a first level of protection to the shelter, and a second layer in the form of a pre-detonation screen providing a second level of protection to the shelter, wherein the pre-detonation screen is supported above the first layer by a plurality of rafters extending from the first layer and by a purlin supporting at least a plurality of the rafters, the purlin comprising a plurality of individual purlin components overlapping with and staggered with respect to one or more neighbouring purlin components and connected together by one of more connecting elements to form a continuous but staggered purlin. 
     
     
         9 . The protective shelter according to  claim 8 , wherein the first layer is supported on at least one of the outer supports by an anchor beam comprising a first longitudinal beam element comprising a plurality of anchor beam components arranged end to end and a second neighbouring longitudinal beam element side by side with the first element and comprising a plurality of anchor beam components arranged end to end, joints between individual anchor beam components of the first longitudinal element being staggered with respect to joints between individual anchor beam elements of the second longitudinal element. 
     
     
         10 . The protective shelter according to  claim 8 , wherein the connecting elements comprise a plurality of channels for receiving the purlin components. 
     
     
         11 . The protective shelter according to  claim 10 , wherein the connecting elements comprise at least one flange for connection to the rafter beam. 
     
     
         12 . The protective shelter according to  claim 11 , wherein the width of the flange and the length of the channel are substantially the same. 
     
     
         13 . A protective shelter offering opposite outer supports and a roof structure extending between the supports, wherein the roof structure comprises a first layer covering a space between the outer supports and providing a first level of protection to the shelter, and a second layer in the form of a pre-detonation screen providing a second level of protection to the shelter, wherein the first layer is supported on at least one of the outer supports by an anchor beam comprising a first longitudinal beam element comprising a plurality of anchor beam components arranged end to end and a second neighbouring longitudinal beam element side by side with the first element and comprising a plurality of anchor beam components arranged end to end, joints between individual anchor beam components of the first longitudinal element being staggered with respect to joints between individual anchor beam elements of the second longitudinal element. 
     
     
         14 . The protective shelter according to  claim 13 , wherein the first layer of the roof structure comprises a plurality of tray members arranged to receive earth, sand or aggregate material defining an inner skin to provide a first level of protection in the roof structure, and the tray members are arranged to be supported by transverse beams, wherein the transverse beams are arranged to be supported at their respective ends by the opposite outer supports. 
     
     
         15 . The protective shelter according to  claim 14 , wherein the transverse beams form a transverse beam bridge across the shelter such that the height of the shelter centrally, and away from the opposite supports is substantially the same as the height of said supports. 
     
     
         16 . The protective shelter according to  claim 14 , wherein the transverse beams are arranged to define a shallow arch across the shelter such that the internal height of the shelter centrally, and away from the opposite supports is greater than the height of said supports. 
     
     
         17 . The protective shelter according to  claim 13 , wherein the tray members comprise a series of inter connected identical tray members having mutually connectable engagement formations at opposite ends thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The protective shelter according to  claim 13 , wherein the outer supports are formed from gabions comprising opposed side walls comprising a plurality of side wall elements connected together at spaced intervals by a plurality of partition walls such that spaces between neighbouring pairs of partition walls define, together with the side walls, individual compartments of the gabion, adjacent side and partition walls being connected to one another by pivotal connections enabling the gabion to be folded between fully flattened and deployed configurations. 
     
     
         19 . The protective shelter according to  claim 18 , wherein at least one of the pivotal connections is a releasable connection which when released allows a side wall element to open with respect to the gabion to allow access from the side of the gabion to any contents of the gabion compartments. 
     
     
         20 . The protective shelter according to  claim 18 , wherein stanchions are situated in one or more of the gabion units, providing additional support between the ground and the roof structure. 
     
     
         21 . The protective shelter according to  claim 7 , wherein the connecting elements comprise a plurality of channels for receiving the purlin components. 
     
     
         22 . The protective shelter according to  claim 1 , wherein the first layer of the roof structure comprises a plurality of tray members arranged to receive earth, sand or aggregate material defining an inner skin to provide a first level of protection in the roof structure, and the tray members are arranged to be supported by transverse beams, wherein the transverse beams are arranged to be supported at their respective ends by the opposite outer supports. 
     
     
         23 . The protective shelter according to  claim 8 , wherein the first layer of the roof structure comprises a plurality of tray members arranged to receive earth, sand or aggregate material defining an inner skin to provide a first level of protection in the roof structure, and the tray members are arranged to be supported by transverse beams, wherein the transverse beams are arranged to be supported at their respective ends by the opposite outer supports. 
     
     
         24 . The protective shelter according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer supports are formed from gabions comprising opposed side walls comprising a plurality of side wall elements connected together at spaced intervals by a plurality of partition walls such that spaces between neighbouring pairs of partition walls define, together with the side walls, individual compartments of the gabion, adjacent side and partition walls being connected to one another by pivotal connections enabling the gabion to be folded between fully flattened and deployed configurations. 
     
     
         25 . The protective shelter according to  claim 8 , wherein the outer supports are formed from gabions comprising opposed side walls comprising a plurality of side wall elements connected together at spaced intervals by a plurality of partition walls such that spaces between neighbouring pairs of partition walls define, together with the side walls, individual compartments of the gabion, adjacent side and partition walls being connected to one another by pivotal connections enabling the gabion to be folded between fully flattened and deployed configurations.