AU2004212542B2 - Transportable building - Google Patents

Description

Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

(ORIGINAL)

Name of Applicant: JOHN RICHARD KEEBLE Actual Inventor(s): JOHN RICHARD KEEBLE Address for Service: SANDERCOCK COWIE SUITE 8C, 50-54 ROBINSON STREET DANDENONG VIC 3175 Invention Title: TRANSPORTABLE BUILDING Details of Associated Provisional Application(s): No(s): Australian Provisional Application No. 2003905005 Filed: 15 t September, 2003 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: -1- Fc2004-09-15,A:\A Ikeeble.fikewpd, I la- TITLE: TRANSPORTABLE BUILDING FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention concerns transportable buildings.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION For sports events, field days and agriculture exhibitions and shows, corporate facilities are in demand. Caravans and kit-type buildings have limited appeal.

2004-09-15,A:\507kccblc.cap.wpd, I -2- 00 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION ;The construction aspect of this invention provides a transportable building comprising Sa shell with a floor, a roof and ends but no sides made from a cargo container, the shell having at least one side pivoted to the roof in order to move from an upright travel position upwardly and outwardly to a roof position in order to form an extension to the shell roof, means capable of extending the shell floor beneath the roof extension, wherein the means for floor extension includes bearers which extend from the shell at floor level and a pedestrian surface made of one or more floor panels which hinge so as to be stowable in the shell interior when travelling, and roof extension support means (-i extending between the floor extension and the roof extension, wherein the shell and the extension of the shell are supported on demountable legs.

The roof extension support means may incorporate a glazed wall at least partially closing in the space defined by the roof extension and the floor extension to form an annex.

The means for floor extension may include bearers which extend from the shell at floor level and a pedestrian surface made of side by side floor panels which hinge so as to be stowable in the shell interior when travelling.

The shell and the extension of the shell may be supported on demountable legs. The floor may be accessed from ground level by detachable stairs. Elevation of 1-1.5m is useful if the building is used for viewing an event such as a race or sports match.

An additional roof over the shell may be present to create an air gap between the existing roof and the shell. The shell interior may be insulated, but is essentially a glazed box for accommodating people in shade and in a weatherproof situation. Sports venues, exhibitions, construction and mining sites all utilise temporary buildings and the rigid structure of the shell is useful in retaining shape despite repeated lifting by a crane and erection on uneven ground.

2008-08-25,H:\Specifications\keeble.capl wpd,2 -3- 00 Two shells may be joined end to end to make a building 12m long at the site.

t(N SBRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS One embodiment of the invention is now described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: (Ni Figure 1 is a perspective of the erected building consisting of two shells butted end to (Ni end.

(Ni Figure 2 is a plan of the building showing the lateral extensions of the central shell.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic end view ofhalfa shell prior to fold out, on A-A of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic end view of Figure 3 after fold out, on A-A of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a detail of the hinge which suspends the side of the shell.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH RESPECT TO THE DRAWINGS Referring now to the drawings, two 6 x 2.5m cargo containers 2 are bolted together. The container ends are covered by painted panels 4. An annexe with a glazed front 6 and sides 8 containing doors 10, extend from each side of the container. The glazed aluminium front 6 is 2.1m high and 6m long. The glass is 6mm thick and laminated to withstand the erection, dismantling and journey forces. If the weather is such as not to require the space to be airconditioned, the glazed frame is only 1.5m or 1.0m high.

Persons can stand in front of the low glazed wall which then acts merely as a pedestrian barrier. The container shells and both annexes stand on multiple legs 12 and stages 14 and external stairs 16 give access from ground level to the doors 2008-09-0 1,H:\Specifications\keeble.capl .wpd,3 r _i In Figure 2, four bearers 18 support the whole structure. These are linked by perimeter tubes 20. The bearers are slide fit in to box-section hollow tubes 22 welded to the floor of the construction. Demountable legs 24 are bolted to the bearers. The legs have 300 x 400mm feet made of plate. When the ground is uneven the feet are packed with timber packers 200 x 75mm. The packers are 450-1900mm long.

The longer sides 26 of the container are suspended from the container roof 28 by hinges best seen in Figure 5. These allow the sides 26 of the container to swing outwards and upwards to form an annex roof 32. The perimeter tubes 22 support temporary Lshaped push-in studs 34. A winch 36 is welded on a stud to raise the annexe roof 32.

When the roof is sufficiently high, glazed wall 40 is seated on locator 42, thereafter the stud 34 is removed. The container has its own fixed floor 44. The edges of the floor are hinged to two abutting sections of annexe floor 46 and 48, which extend into the annexe as shown in Figure 4 or suspended from the container roof as shown in Figure 3 when travelling. The container has an arcuate roof 50 which sheds rain onto the sloping annexe roofs 32.

In a non-illustrated embodiment, the legs have screw adjusters. Some of the legs have telescoping parts with bores which register to allow a pin to select the length of the leg.

In a non-illustrated embodiment, the arcuate roof is removed and transferred to a second shell which is then lifted by crane onto the existing shell. The second shell has no annexe but has a door and glazed sides to act as an elevated viewing platform, for example at a country airstrip. The second shell is reached by an external stair. The lifting lugs on the top of the container are used as slinging points.

I have found the advantages of the above embodiment to be:- 1. Full dismantling prior to every journey is avoided.

2. The box construction of the container is sufficiently stiff and strong to be lifted as a unit for transport onto a road going vehicle.

2004-09-1 5,A:\507kcebIc.cap.wpd,4 It is to be understood that the word "comprising" as used throughout the specification is to be interpreted in its inclusive form, ie. use of the word "comprising" does not exclude the addition of other elements.

It is to be understood that various modifications of and/or additions to the invention can be made without departing from the basic nature of the invention. These modifications and/or additions are therefore considered to fall within the scope of the invention.

2004-09-15,A:\507kccblc.cap.wpd,5

Claims (9)

1. A transportable building comprising a shell with a floor, a roof and ends but no Ssides made from a cargo container, the shell having at least one side pivoted to the roof in order to move from an upright travel position upwardly and outwardly C. to a roof position in order to form an extension to the shell roof, means capable of extending the shell floor beneath the roof extension, wherein the means for floor extension includes bearers which extend from the shell at floor level and a pedestrian surface made of one or more floor panels which hinge so as to be stowable in the shell interior when travelling, and roof extension support means extending between the floor extension and the roof extension, wherein the shell and the extension of the shell are supported on demountable legs.

2. A transportable building as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the roof extension support means incorporates a glazed wall at least partially closing in the space defined by the roof extension and the floor extension to form an annexe.

3. A transportable building as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the floor is accessed from ground level by detachable stairs.

4. A transportable building as claimed in any one of Claims 1-3, wherein an additional roof over the shell creates an air gap between the permanent roof and the shell.

5. A transportable building as claimed in any one of Claims 1-4, wherein the shell has ends which incorporate connectors forj oining the ends of two shells together.

6. A transportable building as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a second shell is mounted on the top of the shell.

7. A transportable building as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the second shell has at least one glazed side.

2008-08-25,H:\Specfications\keeble.capl .wpd,6 -7- o00 S

8. A transportable building as claimed in Claim 6 or 7, wherein the second shell is accessed by an external stair. b b

9. A method of erecting the extensions of the shell of a portable building as claimed in Claim 1, wherein bearers extend from the shell at floor level, the method N, comprising the attachment of at least a pair of uprights at or near the ends of the bearers at the perimeter of the extension which uprights are taller than the shell Nextension, connecting ties between the top of the uprights and the free edge of the Nshell side and exerting tension on the tie to raise the shell side to a height sufficient to enable it to rest on a wall panel which defines the perimeter of the extension. A method of erecting the extensions of the shell of a portable building as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the tension is applied by directing the tie over a pulley at or near the top of the upright and winching the shell side to the required height. 11. A method of erecting the extensions of the shell of a portable building substantially as herein described. 12. A transportable building substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 2008-08-25,H:\Specifications\keeble.capl .wpd,7