AU2003221623A1 - A transportable building and self-levelling chassis therefor - Google Patents

Description

WO 2004/097130 PCT/AU2003/000496 1 A transportable building and self-levelling chassis therefor The present invention relates to a transportable building and in particular to a transportable building including an easy or self-levelling chassis. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 5 Camps have been used for many years to provide shelter and accommodation especially in remote areas. This is especially so in the case of remote camps that are assembled using a number of transportable buildings, some of the buildings used as sleeping quarters, others as the kitchen and dining room facility and others still as recreational areas. It is not uncommon for a camp to consist of sixty to eighty buildings that can accommodate 10 several hundred people. These camps are completely self-contained in that the transportable buildings provide all of the facilities for a small remote community that may be needed in a particular area. Accordingly these camps include all of the modern day facilities such as electrical power, water, sewerage, and communication. They therefore also include their own power 15 generation systems, water distribution systems, sewerage treatment plants, and communication facilities such as satellite dishes. The camps typically require a considerable amount of skill, time, and effort to assemble and commission. Once constructed these camps can however provide accommodation indefinitely if the infrastructure is maintained.. In some instances the camps have to be portable or mobile. For example, during 20 construction of infrastructure across a vast area, such as roads or pipelines supplying water or gas, a particular location for a camp housing the construction workers, may only be viable for several weeks or months. As the pipeline is progressively constructed, there is a balance between the economic cost of the travel time of workers housed in the camp to the current work site and time spent constructing the actual pipeline. It is therefore accepted in the 25 industry that if the travel time between a camp and the work location is more than an hour, a new camp has to be constructed that is closer to the work location. At that time, a new camp is therefore constructed one hour ahead of the current construction location or generally up to several hundred kilometres away from the existing camp. A camp for several hundred people takes some time to construct and commission. 30 Accordingly, construction work on the particular project has to stop for one or two weeks whilst the camp is relocated. Alternatively there are two duplicate camps used so that whilst one camp is being used the other is being de-commissioned from one location to be WO 2004/097130 PCT/AU2003/000496 2 assembled at another location. Either solution has its disadvantages. The first increases the time for a particular project whilst the second is a duplication of infrastructure that requires significant capital. One of the more time intensive steps in decommissioning and commissioning a camp 5 includes physically transporting the buildings when all of the utilities have been disconnected. Current techniques of transporting a building include using a crane to lift the building onto the back of a truck, usually a flatbed semi-trailer. Similarly a crane is then used to unload the building from the semi-tailer at the new location. The crane is connected to a lifting hook on each corner of the building. This procedure has several distinct disadvantages such as 10 requiring a number of persons to operate and swaying in the wind. A solution to this problem has been proposed in Applicant's co-pending International Patent Application entitled "A transportable building and chassis therefor", whose contents are incorporated by reference herein, where the reader is taught a chassis and hence building that can be engaged by a forklift. However it is not intended to limit the present invention to include this feature for it 15 may equally well be used for buildings that are adapted to be lifted by either a crane or a forklift. A further difficult and time-consuming process in the setting up of portable buildings is actually positioning them on the ground. Current techniques include using columns of modular blocks, typically bricks, or concrete blocks, which are placed on timber skids in 20 numerous positions underneath the building. The blocks are typically some 10 centimeters in height and thus a number of blocks are used in the one column. In the case of uneven ground, some columns use fewer blocks than others. To position the building requires persons to place the blocks accurately below load points in the building frame whilst the building is still suspended, a fairly exacting process. Placing the blocks in the wrong location may not only 25 damage the building but also make it unsafe. In the case of uneven ground, it also takes time to ensure that the building is relatively level by selecting the number of blocks in each particular column. The person skilled in the art will appreciate the difficulties and the time required to setup up a building on blocks within safety margins especially when using a crane where the building usually sways even in mild breeze. Furthermore, with a number of 30 columns, it is at times impossible to say if all of the columns are providing equal support. A further time-consuming process in setting up a portable building is setting up landings, walkways, or entrance platforms that are used in to allow for access to a building. Current techniques for setting up walkways is to simply place each walkway on a column of modular blocks at a height in between the ground and the floor level of the building. As with 35 setting up the building this takes time and is a fiddly exercise.

WO 2004/097130 PCT/AU2003/000496 3 It is an object of the present invention to overcome at least some of the abovementioned problems or provide the public with a useful alternative. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore in one form of the invention there is proposed a transportable building 5 having a longitudinal chassis said chassis including: two elongate spaced apart inner load-supporting I-beams disposed parallel to a longitudinal axis of said chassis, each I-beam including a top and bottom flange connected by a web, each of said I-beams having respective front and rear ends; a plurality of elongate beams extending laterally across said top flange of both I-beams and 10 adapted to support a floor of said transportable building; a front member and a rear member connected normal to and across the respective front and rear ends of said I-beams; a frame connected to and extending around the plurality of elongate beams, said frame adapted to support side walls of said building; 15 leg supports attached at each corner of said chassis; supporting legs adapted to lockingly engage said leg supports and provide support for the building. In preference said leg supports are attached to the ends of each said front and rear member. 20 In preference each said leg support is a square tube slidably supporting a correspondingly shaped leg. The use of heavy duty adjustable stabilising legs at the four corners of each building allows for quick and easy levelling and positioning and minimises the need for concrete blocks, timber skids, or other levelling apparatus. 25 In preference said legs arc adapted to lockingly engage said leg supports in a plurality of positions. In preference said frame includes a J-shaped cross-section including a channel defined by an outer wall, bottom and an inner wall, said inner wall extending upwardly along the ends of said elongate beams, said frame including an inwardly directed flange extending 30 horizontally from the top of said inner wall inwardly across the top of said elongate beams, said channel of a width adapted to support sidewalls of said building. In preference said chassis is made from steel. The steel frame is typically 360 UB.

WO 2004/097130 PCT/AU2003/000496 4 In preference said elongate beams are tubular beams having a rectangular cross section. In preference extending between each said I-beams and said front and rear members are a plurality of bracing members. 5 In preference said elongate beams and said front and rear member are welded to said I-beams. Alternatively they may be attached using other conventional fixing means such as nuts and bolts. In preference the width of said chassis is adapted to be smaller than the width of a conventional road-train. 10 In preference said building includes at least one foldable walkway pivotably attached to said chassis and movable between a first and a second position, in said first position extending substantially upright and parallel to the side of the building and in said second position extending relatively horizontally. This allows the walkway to remain attached to the building for transportation. 15 In preference each walkway includes a plurality of adjustable legs. In preference each walkway includes a plurality of upright posts supporting a rope strung therein between. Instead of a rope it may however very well be a chain. In preference each building includes a plurality of walkways. Of course, if the building is not long, there may very well be only one walkway extending alongside the 20 building. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several implementations of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the advantages and principles of the invention. 25 In the drawings; Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of the current technique of using a crane to position a typical building on a site supported by modular block columns; Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of using a crane to unload a building embodying the present invention from a semi-trailer; WO 2004/097130 PCT/AU2003/000496 5 Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of unloading a building embodying the present invention from a semi-trailer using a forklift; Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of positioning a building embodying the present invention onto a site a using a forklift, the building including self 5 levelling legs; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the chassis of the building according to the present invention; Figure 6 is an enlarged detailed view of part of the chassis of Figure 5; Figure 7 is a top view of the chassis of Figure 5; 10 Figure 8 is a side view of the chassis of Figure 5; Figure 9 is an end view of the chassis of Figure 5; Figure 10 is a partial view of the chassis of the building including a supporting leg engaging the chassis; Figure 11 is a schematic perspective view of a building embodying the present 15 invention including a foldable walkway when loaded on a semi-trailer; Figure 12 is a perspective view of the building of Figure 11 when commissioned on a site; Figure 13 is an end view of the commissioned building of Figure 12; Figure 14 is a partial end view of the building as in Figure 13 illustrating the connection 20 between the building chassis and the walkway when in a commissioned state; and Figure 15 is a partial end view as in Figure 14 but illustrating the building chassis and the walkway when in a stored or transportable state. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 25 The following detailed description of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings. Although the description includes exemplary embodiments, other embodiments are possible, and changes may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the WO 2004/097130 PCT/AU2003/000496 6 spirit and scope of the invention. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings and the following description to refer to the same and like parts. Referring to Figure 1 there is shown the standard conventional method of handling a building for positioning on a site. Building 10 includes a chassis 12 having lifting points 14 5 on each corner of building 10. Cables 16 are connected at one end to each corner 14 of the building 10 and at the other to a crane 18 using a central lifting cable 20. This arrangement allows the crane to position the building 10 so that it is lowered onto columns of modular blocks or bricks 22. As discussed above those skilled in the art will be well aware of the problems of 10 using this type of arrangement. The crane has to be operated very slowly to ensure that it is under controlled movement and does not swing or rotate since such a building has a fair amount of inertia, a problem that is exacerbated with wind. The columns 24 have to be located precisely under the building to ensure that they engage appropriate load points. Even with the improved method of handling a building, as taught in the 15 abovementioned co-pending application where one can use a forklift, the building still has to be positioned accurately over the modular blocks, or alternatively they have to be built up one block at a time with the building suspended above the position where it will ultimately sit. According to the present invention there is proposed a transportable building including a chassis that includes corner supports for supporting legs that support (stabilise) 20 the building. Such an arrangement has numerous advantages over the prior art in that it only requires one operator to position the building generally where it is to sit. The operator simply positions the building above the site where they want it to sit, then adjusts the legs to an appropriate height and simply lowers the building onto the legs. If one of the legs requires adjusting, the operator can only marginally raise the building to adjust the leg(s) at which time 25 they again lower it down in a short iterative process. Whilst suspended above the ground supporting legs engage the corner supports after which the building is simply lowered until it rests on the ground. This enables a number of buildings to be quickly set up, whilst reducing the number of persons required for such an operation. Use of corner leg supports as well obviates the need for the modular blocks that would otherwise need to be handled and 30 transported between sites. The building according to the present invention is clearly illustrated in Figures 2 to 4 with Figure 2 illustrating such a building being unloaded from a truck 24 using crane 18, Figure 3 illustrating such a building being unloaded from truck 24 using a forklift 26 and WO 2004/097130 PCT/AU2003/000496 7 Figure 4 illustrating the building when supporting legs 28 have been attached to the building corner supports 30 so that it can be lowered to the ground. Of course, in some instances, the supporting legs 28 may in fact be an integral part of the building 10, being slidably attached to the corner supports 30 and will need not to be separately installed. 5 The transportable building 10 includes a floor 32, sidewalls 34, and a roof36 mounted on a chassis 38 that are rigidly and fixedly interconnected to form the building 10. The chassis 38, illustrated in detail in Figures 5-9, is typically configured to enable the building 10 to be transported by forklift 26. However, this is not essential and the chassis may very be adapted to be lifted by the known method of using a crane. 10 Chassis 38 includes two longitudinal laterally spaced parallel I-beams 40 and 42. These I-beams are disposed with their webs extending vertically and their flanges extending horizontally. Pluralities of parallel spaced beams 44 are secured to and project laterally outwardly across the top of said I-beams 40 and 42. The spaced beams provide the support for the floor 32 that typically includes timber sheets. A rectangular frame 46 extends around 15 the perimeter of the chassis 38 and includes an upper horizontal flange 48 secured to and supported on the outer ends of beams 44, a vertical web 50 extending downwardly alongside the ends of said beams 44, a outwardly extending bottom surface 52 having an outer wall 54, the web 50, bottom surface 52 and outer wall 54 defining a groove 56 adapted to support sidewalls 34 therein. Thus the frame has a typical J-shaped cross section. 20 The outer wall 54 is typically lower than the web 50 so that, in part, any moisture that collects within the groove 56 flows out away from the building 10 rather than flooding the floor. Located centrally and extending laterally through the web 58 of the I-beams 40 and 42 are two parallel spaced apart channels 60 and 62 whose separation is selected to be the 25 typical separation used by heavy lifting forklifts (although most forklifts have adjustable separation of the forks enabling the chassis of the building to be constructed using the most appropriate separation). The channels 60 and 62 are substantially identical including a longitudinal bottom surface 64, longitudinal upward sides 66, and a top surface 68. Extending laterally (in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the I-beams 40 and 42) across 30 the top surface 68 are vertical plates or stiffening webs 70 providing reinforcing since during a lifting action, most of the force is experienced by the top surface 68. Typically three such plates 70 are welded firmly to the top surface 68.

WO 2004/097130 PCT/AU2003/000496 8 Reinforcing cross-members 72 are welded to the webs 58 of the I-beams 40 and 42 and provided reinforcing for the chassis 38. Symmetrically opposing C-channels 74 extend outwardly from the web 58 of each I-beam 40 and 42 and are attached to the underside of the channel bottom surface 52 to provide further support for the frame 46. There are typically 5 two sets of C-channels located generally mid-way between the forklift channels 60, 62 and the ends of the I-beams 40 and 42. Angle braces 76 are welded between each C-channel 72 and the web 58 of the I-beams 40 and 42. The C-channels not only provided additional support for the chassis, but also provide an anchoring point for the attachment of various utilities to the underside of the chassis 38, 10 such as sewerage boxes (not shown). They can also be used to provide a support for the running of various utilities under the chassis such as water and sewerage pipes. Extending laterally across the ends of the I-beams 40 and 42 are front and rear outer members 78 and 80 that provide additional structural support for the chassis. Bracing is further provided between the I-beams and the members including internal angle bracing 15 members 82 extending inwardly between each I-beam web 58 and each outer member 78 and 80 and external angle bracing elements 84 extending outwardly between each I-beam web 58 to the end of each outer member 78 and 80. Cross-members 86 also extend longitudinally outwardly between the mid-point of each external angle-bracing element 84 to each outer member 78 and 80. Similarly horizontal cross-members 88 are used to assist in supporting 20 angle-braces 76 to the C-channels 74 whilst downwardly extending cross-members 90 are used in supporting the C-channels 74 to the I-beams 40 and 42. The angle of inclination of the bracing elements is typically less then 45 degrees, the angle of course determining the overall length of the members. As will be appreciated by the reader the individual members of the chassis are 25 typically made from weldable steel and are welded to each other. Of course, instead of welding or in addition to, some of the individual parts may be held together using conventional nuts and bolts. The dimensions of the building and chassis are typically designed to conform to the conventional standards that relate to issues of transportation and to minimum sizes of rooms 30 in buildings. These may be different in different countries and whether the buildings are being transported on conventional roads. It will now be appreciated by the reader that the present invention provides significant advantages in setting up a transportable building onto a site. The supporting legs 28, shown WO 2004/097130 PCT/AU2003/000496 9 in more detail in Figure 10 are adjustable in their vertical position relative to the chassis accommodate sloping or uneven ground. This is achieved by the legs 28 including a plurality of bores or holes 92 that co-axially align with bores 94 in the corner supports 30. A pin 96 then vertically locks the leg 28 to the support 30. Foot 98 spreads the load of he leg on the 5 ground. Of course, this is but one-way that the leg 28 can be locked to the support. Other more sophisticated means of adjusting the relative height may be employed including using an electric motor or hydraulic piston. Also, although not shown, there may be multiple pins securing the leg to each corner that may also be at right angles to each other. It will now be apparent to the reader that the present invention provides for a 10 transportable building and self-levelling chassis therefor that can be easily set up. It provides significant advantages over current methods of setting up portable buildings where the buildings are supported on modular blocks. Not only does the present invention provide for a portable camp that is much quicker to set up, it also reduces the amount of persons necessary to set up a building. 15 When the building has been set up, it is also usual to provide landings, walkways, or platforms that are typically at a height between the ground and the floor of the building. These platforms or walkways are used to reduce the amount of mud and dirt that is carried into the buildings. Typically these walkways are independent in that they are supported on blocks adjacent but not attached to any building. Accordingly they also need time to set up, 20 additional blocks for support and need to be transported separately from the building. In a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided at least one longitudinal walkway that is attached to the building chassis one longitudinal side and supported by adjustable legs along the other side. In a preferred embodiment the walkway is actually pivotably attached to the building and is pivotable between two positions, in the first position 25 being adapted for transportation and in the second for normal use. As shown in Figures 11 to 15 several walkways 100 may be used on any one, although of course there may only be one or even more. The walkway includes a longitudinal rectangular frame 102 supporting a plurality of spaced apart timber slats 104 (so that dirt call fall in-between them). The frame includes a L-shaped arm 106 extending slightly underneath 30 the building including at its outer end a pivotable flange 108 having a bore that is co-axial with a bore in suitably located chassis plates 110, the two fixed together using a nut and bolt arrangement 112. The inside width of the L-shaped arm 114 is greater than the thickness of the building side walls and the timber slats so that the frame 102 has enough clearance to be foldable to an upright storage position, the latter clearly illustrated in Figure 15.

WO 2004/097130 PCT/AU2003/000496 10 The longitudinal side of the walkway away from the building includes a number of leg supports 116 that are engaged by legs 118 in a slidable fashion much like the chassis supports described earlier. That is, the legs 118 slide within the supports 116, both having bores that can be co-axially aligned so that the legs 118 can be locked to the supports 116 in 5 various vertical positions ensuring that the walkways are relatively horizontal regardless of the ground level. For safety, the walkways may also include post supports 120 typically being a horizontal rectangular channel adapted to be slidable engaged by a correspondingly shaped horizontal leg 122 of a post 124. A rope 126 may then the strung between adjoining posts by 10 passing through eyelets 128 located at the top of each post 124. In some instance the walkway may require a step 130 that is attached to the end of the walkway using well-known techniques such as male and female connecting members, each step also having its own supporting legs 132. To accommodate soft ground the legs 118 used to support the walkways also include feet 134 that are typically flat plates. 15 The reader will now appreciate the elegance of the present invention in that during transportation of the building the walkways are foldably attached to the building. When the building is being moved, the walkway is simply folded upwards alongside of the building and is held there using locking straps 136 that lock the walkway to the building in the folded position. The overall thickness of the walkway also does not greatly protrude beyond the 20 footprint of the building hence satisfying most road rules. The strap 136 can simply engage an appropriate joint on the building, such as, for example, a hook. Each building may also have a frame 138 at one end thereon that can be used to house various amenities for each building including, for example, the hot water system, and various air conditioning units. 25 It is to be understood that the attachment of the various sidewalls to the chassis also includes using well-known fixing means such as nuts and bolts and rivets and that the person skilled in the art would be well aware of how the building is to be constructed. Although not shown in the drawings, the present invention may also allow foldable awnings to be attached to the top of each building and foldable between a stored and an 30 erected position. The awnings provide protection from the elements above each door of each building.

WO 2004/097130 PCT/AU2003/000496 11 Further advantages and improvements may very well be made to the present invention without deviating from its scope. Although the invention has been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope and spirit of the 5 invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus. In any claims that follow and in the summary of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprising" is used in the sense of "including", i.e. the features specified may be associated 10 with further features in various embodiments of the invention.

Claims (15)

1. A transportable building having a longitudinal chassis said chassis including: two elongate spaced apart inner load-supporting I-beams disposed parallel to a longitudinal axis of said chassis, each I-beam including a top and bottom flange 5 connected by a web, each of said I-beams having respective front and rear ends; a plurality of elongate beams extending laterally across said top flange of both I beams and adapted to support a floor of said transportable building; a front member and a rear member connected normal to and across the respective front and rear ends of said I-beams; 10 a frame connected to and extending around the plurality of elongate beams, said frame adapted to support side walls of said building; leg supports attached to each comer of said chassis; supporting legs adapted to lockingly engage said leg supports and provide support for the building. 15

2. A transportable building as in claim 1 wherein said leg supports are attached to the ends of each said front and rear member.

3. A transportable building as in claim 1 wherein each said leg support is a square tube slidably supporting a correspondingly shaped leg.

4. A transportable building as in claim I wherein said legs are adapted to lockingly 20 engage said leg supports in a plurality of positions.

5. A transportable building as in claim I wherein said frame includes a J-shaped cross section including a channel defined by an outer wall, bottom and an inner wall, said inner wall extending upwardly along the ends of said elongate beams, said frame including an inwardly directed flange extending horizontally from the top of said 25 inner wall inwardly across the top of said elongate beams, said channel of a width adapted to support sidewalls of said building.

6. A transportable building as in claim 1 wherein said chassis is made from steel.

7. A transportable building as in claim 1 wherein said elongate beams are tubular beams having a rectangular cross-section. 30

8. A transportable building as in claim 1 wherein extending between each said I-beams and said front and rear members are a plurality of bracing members. WO 2004/097130 PCT/AU2003/000496 13

9. A transportable building as in claim 1 wherein said elongate beams and said front and rear member are welded to said I-beams.

10. A transportable building as in any one of the above claims wherein the width of said chassis is adapted to be smaller than the width of a conventional road-train. 5

11. A transportable building as in any one of the above claims further including a foldable walkway pivotably attached to a side of said chassis and movable between a first and a second position, in said first position extending substantially upright and parallel to the side of said building and in said second position extending relatively horizontally to provide a landing for the building. 10

12. A transportable building as in claim 11 wherein said walkway includes a plurality of vertically adjustable legs for supporting the walkway when in said second position.

13. A transportable building as in claim 12 wherein each walkway includes a plurality of upright posts supporting a rope strung therein between.

14. A transportable building as in claim 11 wherein each building includes a plurality of 15 walkways.

15. A mobile camp including a plurality of transportable buildings as defined in any one of the above claims.