AU2013202348B2

AU2013202348B2 - A Verandah Assembly

Info

Publication number: AU2013202348B2
Application number: AU2013202348A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Michael Robert Farr
Original assignee: Stratco Australia Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Stratco Australia Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2012-04-03
Filing date: 2013-04-03
Publication date: 2016-05-19
Anticipated expiration: 2033-04-03
Also published as: AU2013202348A1

Abstract

Abstract The present invention relates to a verandah assembly 20 including at least one hinge arrangement 30 arranged for connection to a building 10. At least one verandah panel 40 is arranged for pivotal connection to the hinge arrangement 20. The verandah panel 40 is arranged for movement between a first and a second position. In the first position, which is a transport position, the verandah panel 40 does not extend outwardly beyond the roof 10 or a side wall 1Ob of the building 10. In the second position, the verandah panel 40 extends beyond the area of the roof 10a or the side wall 1 Ob of the building 10 so as to establish a covered area adjacent to the building 10. cil

Description

1 A VERANDAH ASSEMBLY Related Application [0001] This application is related to Australian provisional patent application 2012901375, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field The present invention relates to a verandah assembly for a transportable building. Background of Invention [0002] On remote sites where it is difficult or inappropriate to construct a permanent building, it is common to provide simple transportable buildings for use as offices, work rooms and living quarters. Such transportable buildings are typically delivered to the site by a truck and are located on a very simple foundation. [0003] The form most commonly adopted for this type of transportable building is one that is best described as a modified "shipping container". Commonly, such transportable buildings are referred to in Australia as "dongas". [0004] Dongas are very commonly used to provide accommodation in remote mining sites, remote or temporary communities and also as work and lunch rooms on building sites. These locations often have very harsh environments and thus it is desirable to be able to provide a covered area adjacent the donga. Such a covered area provides weather protection to the donga and also increases the effective "living" space provided to the donga user. [0005] In remote locations where skilled tradespeople may not be available, it is important that any construction that is to be accomplished on site, for example the construction of a verandah for a donga, can be done simply and without the need for a qualified tradesperson. It is further important to minimise the costs involved with transporting any materials for such a construction to the site. [0006] The present invention seeks to provide a verandah assembly that can be readily transported to and erected on site without the need for qualified tradespeople.

2 [0007] The discussion of the background to the invention herein is included to explain the context of the invention. This is not to be taken as an admission that any of the material referred to was published, known or part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of this application. Summary of Invention [0008] The present invention provides a verandah assembly including at least one hinge arrangement arranged for connection to a transportable building with a roof having a roof surface area, at least one verandah panel arranged for pivotal connection to the hinge arrangement, said verandah panel being arranged for movement between a first and a second position when the verandah panel is connected to the hinge arrangement and the hinge arrangement is connected to the roof of the building, said first position being a transport position wherein the at least one verandah panel overlies the hinge arrangement and overlies the roof surface area of the building so as to not extend generally horizontally substantially beyond the roof surface area, and a second position wherein the verandah panel extends outwardly away from the roof of the buildiing and does not overlie the hinge arrangement or the roof surface area. [0009] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the verandah assembly is connected to a transportable building or other structure prior to transport to a site at which it is to be installed. During transport of the building to the site, at least one verandah panel is in the transport position and overlies the roof of the building. Once the transportable building has been located on site, the verandah panel can be moved to the second position wherein the verandah panel extends away from the roof of the building to establish a covered area adjacent to the building. [0010] The verandah assembly is preferably arranged to be secured to a transportable building with a flat roof. When the verandah panel is in the first position, it preferably overlies the flat roof and does not extend substantially beyond the surface area of the flat roof and/or a side wall of the building. The arrangement of the verandah panel when in the first position is such as to not effectively increase the transport size of the building. Accordingly, the transport requirement for a building 3 fitted with the verandah assembly is no different to the transport requirement for the same building without the verandah assembly. [0011] The hinge arrangement preferably includes a pivot axis about which the verandah panel is arranged to pivot. A mechanism is provided for selectively locating the pivot axis away from the transportable building to enable the verandah panel to be pivoted from the first position to the second position without striking the transportable building. In accordance with one preferred arrangement, the mechanism includes a sliding member, for example a slidable hinge roof wing. [0012] Typically, multiple verandah assemblies are arranged to be connected to the transportable building. The multiple verandah assemblies being configured so that side edges of adjacent verandah panels in the second position overlap to establish a continuous covered area below. To this end, each hinge arrangement may preferably enable movement of the associated verandah panel in a direction coaxial to the associated pivot axis. [0013] Preferably, at least one upright or column is provided to support each verandah panel when it is located in the second position. Each upright or column preferably has a lower end arranged to be secured to the ground and an upper end arranged to be secured to a bracket or directly to the verandah panel. Screw fasteners are preferably used to secure each upright or column to the verandah panel. [0014] The present invention also provides a transportable building fitted with at least one verandah assembly. [0015] The building is preferably a transportable building or structure such as a modified form of shipping container. Brief Description of Drawings [0016] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 4 [0017] Figure 1 is a part end view of a verandah assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the invention connected to the roof of a transportable building. The verandah panel is shown in the first or transport position; [0018] Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but with the pivot axis of the hinge arrangement located away from the side wall of the transportable building following sliding movement of the hinge roof wing within the hinge channel; [0019] Figures 3A and 3B illustrate pivotal movement of the verandah panel; [0020] Figures 4A and 4B illustrate the steps in locating the verandah panel once it has been pivoted to the second position; [0021] Figures 5A and 5B schematically illustrate the securement of the verandah panel in the second position to the transportable building; [0022] Figures 6A to 6F schematically illustrate the fold out of a plurality of verandah panels on a transportable building; [0023] Figure 7 illustrates the process of locating a verandah panel on a bracket of an upright; [0024] Figure 8 illustrates the hinge channel shown in Figure 1; [0025] Figure 9 illustrates the hinge roof wing shown in Figure 1; and [0026] Figure 10 illustrates the hinge verandah wing shown in Figure 1. Detailed Description [0027] Figure 1 schematically illustrates a part end view of a transportable building 10 fitted with a verandah assembly 20 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The transportable building 10 is a simple "donga" with a flat roof 1 0a made from metal sheets. It will of course be appreciated that the present invention has application to a wide variety of buildings and that the invention is not to be restricted to use with transportable buildings such as "dongas". [0028] The verandah assembly 20 includes a hinge arrangement 30 connected to the roof 1 Ca of the transportable building 10. A verandah panel 40 is arranged for 5 pivotal connection to the hinge arrangement 30. The verandah panel 40 is arranged for movement between a first and a second position. In the first position (see Figures 1 and 6A), which is also known as the transport position, the verandah panel 40 is shown overlying the hinge arrangement 30 and at least some part of the roof 1 Ca of the transportable building 10. The verandah panel 40 does not extend beyond the surface area of the flat roof 1 Ca. In the second position (see Figures 4B and 6F), the verandah panel 40 does not overlie the hinge arrangement 30 and extends away from the roof 1 Ca of the transportable building 10 to establish a covered area adjacent to the transportable building 10 below the verandah panel 40. [0029] In the context of this invention, it will be understood that the reference to the verandah panel 40 not extending beyond the roof 1 Ca of the building 10 in the first position is intended to convey that when the verandah panel 40 is in the first position, the panel 40 does not extend beyond the roof 10 or a side wall 1 Ob of the building in such a manner to impact on the effective transport size of the building 10. The intention is to enable the transportable building 10 with verandah assembly 20 attached to be transported using transport methods that would have otherwise been used for the transportable building without the verandah assembly attached. [0030] The hinge arrangement 30 of the verandah assembly 20 includes a hinge channel 32, a hinge roof wing 34 and a hinge verandah wing 36. The hinge channel 32 is arranged to be secured to the roof 1 Ca of the transportable building 10 using screws. [0031] The hinge roof wing 34 is arranged for sliding movement within the hinge channel 32 and to be connected thereto via the bolts 33a, 33b. Bolt 33a extends through a pair of elongated apertures 32a formed in the hinge channel 32 and through a pair of apertures 34a formed in the hinge roof wing 34. Bolt 33b is located through one of the two pairs of apertures 32b', 32b" formed in the hinge channel 32 depending on the positioning of the verandah panel 40. Bolt 33b also extends through a pair of apertures 34b formed in the hinge roof wing 34. [0032] The hinge verandah wing 36 is connected at an upper end 36a to the hinge roof wing 34. This connection occurs via a connector 35 that extends through a pair 6 of elongated apertures 34c formed in the hinge roof wing 34 and a pair of apertures 36b formed in the hinge verandah wing 36. [0033] A lower end 36c of the hinge verandah wing 36 is arranged for connection to a lower side of the verandah panel 40. Side plates 36d are arranged for connection to an upper side of the verandah panel 40. The hinge verandah wing 36 is connected to the verandah panel 40 using various fasteners 45. [0034] It will thus be appreciated that the verandah panel 40 with connected hinge verandah wing 36, hinges about a pivot axis P that is coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the connector 35. [0035] As best shown in Figure 1, when the verandah panel 40 is in the first or transport position, the verandah panel 40 extends above and over the roof 1 Ca of the transportable building 10 so as to overlie the hinge arrangement 30. Preferably, the verandah panel 40 is sized so that it does not extend in the first position beyond the area of the flat roof 1 Ca of the transportable building 10. This is advantageous because, as shown Figure 6A, the outer end 40a of the verandah panel 40 can readily be supported on the roof 1 Ca when the verandah panel 40 is in the first position. This reduces the likelihood of the verandah assembly 20 being damaged during transit. Furthermore, the width of the combined transportable building 10 with verandah assembly 20 attached does not exceed the width of the transportable building without such an assembly 20. Hence the transport requirement for the combined arrangement is no different to current transport arrangements for such a transportable building alone. [0036] In order to be able to pivot the verandah panel 40 from the first position shown in Figure 1 to the second position shown in Figure 4b, sufficient clearance must be provided about the pivot axis P to prevent parts of the hinge arrangement 30 and/or verandah panel 40 from striking the transportable building 10. This clearance is established in accordance with the depicted embodiment by sliding the hinge roof wing 34 outwardly relative to the hinge channel 32 (see the arrow shown in Figure 2). This sliding movement enables the hinge roof wing 34 to move from an inner position shown in Figure 1 to an outer position shown in Figure 2. Sliding movement of the hinge roof wing 34 is achieved by firstly removing the bolt 33b from the pair of 7 apertures 32b' and apertures 34b so that the shank of the bolt 33a is then free to slide along the pair of elongated apertures 32a thereby allowing the hinge roof wing 34 to move to the outer position shown in Figure 2. Once the hinge roof wing 34 is in the outer position, bolt 33b is secured through aligned apertures 32b" and 34b to hold the hinge roof wing 34 in the second position. Bolt 33a is then tightened. [0037] When the hinge roof wing 34 is located in the outer position as shown in Figure 2, the pivot axis P is spaced away from the roof 1 0a and the side wall 1 Ob of the transportable building 10. The verandah panel 40 is then free to pivot to the second position about the pivot axis P (see Figures 3A and 3B). Once the verandah panel 40 reaches the position shown in Figure 4A, it is then lowered so that the connector 35 drops downwardly within the pair of elongated apertures 34c in the hinge roof wing 34. This lowers the verandah panel 40 so that it sits below the plane of the roof 1 0a of the transportable building 10 and so that a rear side 36e of the hinge verandah wing 36 sits flush against the side wall 1 Ob of the transportable building 10. This flush connection prevents rain from passing between the side wall 1 Ob of the transportable building 10 and the rear side 36e of the hinge veranda wing 36. A sealing strip or the like (not illustrated) may be provided to better seal the connection between these components. [0038] The verandah panel 40 is preferably supported in the second position by locating the outer end 40a of the verandah panel 40 on an upright or column 50 (see Figure 7). The upright or column may include an upper bracket 55 for receiving a part of the outer end 40a of the verandah panel 40. It will be appreciated that the final positioning of the outer end 40a of the verandah panel 40 will depend on the height of the column 50 and that the panel 40 can be moved up or down to ensure that the outer edge 40a can be located on the column 50. This is particularly important if the columns 50 have been erected on site prior to fitting the verandah assembly 20. [0039] Fasteners are used to fix the hinge verandah wing 36 to the side wall 1Ob of the building 10 to further secure the verandah panel 40 in the second position. Furthermore, the verandah panel 40 may be secured with fasteners to a support bracket 60 which is also fixed through the side wall 1 Ob of the transportable building 10. The support bracket 60, as best shown in Figure 5B, is located below the verandah panel 40 when it is in the second position.

8 [0040] Figures 6A to 6F schematically illustrate a transportable building 10 fitted with five verandah assemblies 20. These Figures illustrate how the five verandah panels 40 of the verandah assemblies 20 are consecutively pivoted from the first position to the second position with the edges of the adjacent panels 40 overlapped to establish a continuous covered area below the verandah panels 40. [0041] To enable the side edges of adjacent verandah panels 40 to overlap and thereby provide a continuous and indeed preferably water tight roof, each hinge arrangement 30 is arranged to enable limited movement of the associated verandah panel 40 in a direction coaxial to the pivot axis P. More particularly, the hinge verandah wing 36 is able to move along the length of the connector 35 and between the sides 34b of the hinge roof wing 34. This small sideways movement is sufficient to facilitate pivoting and overlapping of the adjacent verandah panels 40. The ability to move the verandah panels 40 sideways (i.e. laterally) is very important as it permits overlapping of adjacent panels 40 in the second or installed position whilst allowing the panels 40 to be spaced apart or positioned edge to edge when in the first position during transit to the final site. This allows the panels 40 to be properly supported to prevent damage during transit and minimises the height of the donga when the panels 40 are in the first position. [0042] As best shown in Figures 5A and 5B, a side flashing 70 may be fixed to any exposed side edge of the verandah panels 40. [0043] The verandah panels 40 may adopt different configurations. However, it is envisaged that the construction of the panels 40 should be such that they can be used to establish a covered area that would remain dry in wet weather. Hence adjacent panels 40 need to adopt a configuration that will prevent water from flowing between adjacent panels 40 and to discourage the flow of water back towards the side wall 1 Ob of the transportable building 10. [0044] The verandah panels 40 could be made from conventional roofing sheets, such as simple corrugated panels. However, it is also envisaged that the verandah panels may be insulated panels to reduce heat transfer through the panels 40. The insulated verandah panels are preferably multi-layer panels, each including a top metal layer, a middle insulating layer and a bottom metal layer. The top metal layer is 9 preferably a corrugated or trapezoidal shaped metal sheet. Verandah panels 40 for use in an embodiment of the invention may advantageously be made using the applicant's Cooldek@ insulated roofing product. [0045] Embodiments of the present invention are advantageous because they provide a simple but yet very effective verandah assembly for a building. The verandah assembly can be secured to a transportable building at the place of manufacture and then transported to the final site with the verandah assembly located on and supported by the roof of the transportable building. The inclusion of the verandah system does not increase the actual width of the transportable building whilst the panels are in the first position. Thus the actual width of the transportable building can still be maximised within the normal transport constraint limits. There is no effective increase in the transport size of the building and thus the transport requirement for a building fitted with a verandah assembly according to an embodiment of the invention is no different to the transport requirement for the same building without the verandah assembly. [0046] Once the transportable building is located on site, the verandah assembly can be set up to establish a verandah for the transportable building by following some basic installation instructions. Skilled tradesmen are not required because final set up is very simple. No cutting or forming of materials is required on site and all attachments are made using bolted or other simple fasteners. The columns for the verandah panels are preferably delivered with the transportable building and can be secured into the ground using concrete. [0047] It will also be appreciated that a verandah assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the invention could be easily retrofitted to other buildings, for example to dongas already in use on a remote site. [0048] The embodiments have been described by way of example only and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention are envisaged.

Claims

1. A verandah assembly including at least one hinge arrangement arranged for connection to a transportable building with a roof having a roof surface area, at least one verandah panel arranged for pivotal connection to the hinge arrangement, said verandah panel being arranged for movement between a first and a second position when the verandah panel is connected to the hinge arrangement and the hinge arrangement is connected to the roof of the building, said first position being a transport position wherein the at least one verandah panel overlies the hinge arrangement and overlies the roof surface area of the building so as to not extend generally horizontally substantially beyond the roof surface area, and a second position wherein the verandah panel extends outwardly away from the roof of the building and does not overlie the hinge arrangement or the roof surface area.

2. A verandah assembly according to claim 1 wherein in the second position the verandah panel extends outwardly beyond the roof or a wall of the building so as to establish a covered area adjacent to the building.

3. A verandah assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the hinge arrangement includes a hinge channel and a hinge roof wing, said hinge roof wing being arranged for sliding movement relative to the hinge channel between an inner position and an outer position.

4. A verandah assembly according to claim 3 further including a hinge verandah wing arranged for pivotal connection to the hinge roof wing and wherein said verandah panel is arranged for connection to the hinge verandah wing.

5. A verandah assembly according to claim 4 wherein when the verandah panel is in the second position the hinge roof wing is in the outer position.

6. A verandah assembly according to claim 4 or claim 5 wherein when the hinge roof wing is in the outer position, the pivotal connection between the hinge verandah wing and the hinge roof wing is positioned outwardly away from the roof surface area and outwardly away from a side wall of the building. 11

7. A verandah assembly according to claim 6 wherein when the verandah panel is in the second position it is positioned below the roof of the building and below the pivotal connection between the hinge verandah wing and the hinge roof wing.

8. A verandah assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the hinge arrangement includes a mechanism for selectively locating the pivotal connection away from the building to enable the verandah panel to be pivoted from the first position to the second position without striking the building.

9. A transportable building fitted with at least one verandah assembly according to any one of the preceding claims.

10. A transportable building according to claim 9 including multiple verandah assemblies configured so that side edges of adjacent verandah panels in the second position overlap to establish a continuous covered area there beneath.

11. A transportable building according to claim 9 or claim 10 further including at least one column to support an outer edge of the at least one verandah panel.

12. A transportable building according to any one of claims 9 to 11 wherein the at least one verandah panel is an insulated panel.

13. A transportable building according to any one of claims 9 to 11 wherein the at least one verandah panel is a multi-layer panel, the multi-layer panel including a top metal layer, a middle insulating layer and a bottom metal layer.

14. A transportable building according to any one of claims 9 to 13 wherein the building is formed using a donga.

15. A hinge arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

16. A transportable building with at least one verandah assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.