GB2081333A

GB2081333A - Nuclear fallout shelter

Info

Publication number: GB2081333A
Application number: GB8026019A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1980-08-09
Filing date: 1980-08-09
Publication date: 1982-02-17

Abstract

A nuclear fallout shelter, to be buried below ground level (30) exposing only an access hatch (22) with a cover (38) and ventilators (at 32), is constructed of two preformed hollow end sections (23) connected by one or more preformed hollow tubular intermediate sections (24, 25). The ventilators include a filter for removing radioactive particles from the air entering the shelter. The sections may be moulded shells of glassfibre reinforced plastics material having inwardly directed peripheral end flanges to enable the sections to be bolted together from inside the shelter after they have been positioned in an excavated trench. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Nuclear fallout shelter This invention relates to nuclear fallout shelters.

Nuclear fallout shelters are known and are not intended to be blast proof but only to provide protection for persons against the effect of radioactive fallout in the event of a nuclear attack. Such nuclear fallout shelters are generally designed to be buried below ground and the known shelters have been formed either in situ from materials such as concrete or brick or have been preformed from specially treated canvas or like materials.

The present invention has as its object to provide a nuclear fallout shelter which is of simple construction and which can readily be installed below ground.

The present invention provides a nuclear fallout shelter comprising a plurality of preformed hollow sections which can be connected together and which include at least one substantially tubular intermediate section and two end sections adapted to close opposite ends of the shelter, an access passage extending upwardly from at least one of said sections to enable access to be gained to the interior of the shelter when the shelter is buried below ground, means for closing said access passage, and at least one ventilator means for ventilating the interior of the shelter, said ventilator means including means for filtering radioactive particles from the air entering the shelter.

A said access passage and a said ventilator means are preferably provided in an intermediate section.

As many intermediate sections may be provided as are required to provide a shelter of a required length.

It is preferred that in a shelter comprising at least two intermediate sections, at least one comprises a said access passage and at least one comprises a said ventilator means.

The shelter may advantageously be provided with one or more stiffening members extending transversely across the shelter and situated between adjacent sections, in order to provide more rigidity to the structure, especially in the case of long shelters. A preferred stiffening member in a plate which extends inwardly from substantially the entire inner periphery of the tubular section wall, and has a passage through its central portion.

The or each said intermediate section may be of any suitable cross-sectional configuration. For example, it may be curved or polygonal in crosssection. Where the or each intermediate section is curved, for example circular, in cross-section then the shelter may be provided with a suitable floor, and where the or each intermediate section is polygonal, e.g., octagonal, in cross-section, one planar wall thereof may be located at the bottom to form a floor. Preferably, the cross-sectional configuration comprises continuously curved roof and side walls merging into a planar wall which forms the floor.

Whatever the cross-sectional configuration of the intermediate section or sections the height or diameter thereof will need to be sufficient to accommodate a person standing erect, e.g., will need to be of the order of 1.98 metres or more. The length of the or each intermediate section is not critical and may be so chosen as to facilitate manufacture and handling, e.g., may be of the order of 2 metres.

Each of said end sections may comprise an end wall and a peripheral wall which at one end is closed by said end wall and which at the other end is of the same cross-sectional configuration and size as the adjacent intermediate section. It may be substantially in the form of a truncated cone in cross-section and said peripheral wall may taper downwardly from said other end thereof to said one end thereof.

The end portions of the different sections may be adapted to interfit to facilitate the joining of the sections together, e.g., as by forming the end portions of two adjoining sections one with an end portion of reduced external diameter or height and/or the other with an end portion of increased internal diameter or height so that the end portion of said one section will fit within the end portion of the other section spigot-and-socket fashion. Any suitable means, such as a suitable adhesive material, may be used to permanently secure said interfitting end portions together.

It is preferred that each of said sections has at its open end or ends means whereby it may be connected to the next adjacent section or sections, and suitable connecting means comprise an inwardly directed peripheral flange adapted to be connected to the inwardly directed flange of the next adjacent section by suitable fastening means. The stiffening member may lie between and be held between the adjacent inwardly directed peripheral flanges. The fastening means may comprise bolts inserted through mating apertures in said flanges and said stiffening member, if present.

Assembly of the shelter comprising sections bolted together by internal flanges can be carried out from inside the shelter. This has the advantages that the installer is protected from any collapse of the walls of the trench in which the sections are lying, and that the excavation need be no larger than the shelter. Additionally, the internal bolts are not exposed to corrosive agents in the material which is subsequently used to cover the shelter.

Adhesive or mastic material may be applied between the connecting means on adjacent sections to ensure that the shelter is adequately air and water tight. Adhesive material will also contribute to the strength of the connection between adjacent sections.

Said sections may be formed from concrete or other suitable material but are preferably formed from a suitable plastics material, for example a reinforced plastics material such as glass fibre reinforced plastics material. A plastics shelter may be further reinforced after assembly by wholly or partially encasing it in concrete, for example by pouring concrete over it when it has been assembled in an excavated trench and before covering with soil or other loose infill material. The ventillator means may comprise a conduit which extends outwardly from, and may pass through, that part of the peripheral wall of the section in which it is provided.

This will usually be the part which in use will form the roof, so that one end of said conduit extends upwardly from section to above ground level and the other end of said conduit terminates at an opening in the roof or depends downwardly into said section. A suitable capping is provided over both the upper and lower ends of said conduit in spaced relation thereto and a suitable filter medium, e.g., a filter gauze, is interposed between each capping and the conduit to filter radioactive particles from the air entering the shelter through the ventilator means.

The invention will be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 7 is a side elevation of one embodiment of a nuclear fallout shelter according to the present invention; Figures 2A, 2B and 2C are perspective views on a larger scale of three different preformed hollow sections used in the construction of the shelter of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation on a still larger scale of a ventilator means for use with the shelter of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a side elevation of a second embodiment of a nuclear fallout shelter according to the present invention; Figure 5is an end elevation of the middle intermediate section used in the construction of the shelter of Figure 4;; Figure 6 is an enlarged detail of part of the joint, in section, between adjacent sections of the shelter of Figurel;and Figure 7 is fragmentary sectional elevation of one of the ventilator means shown in Figure 4 but on a larger scale.

Referring to Figure 1 it will be seen that the nuclear fallout shelter illustrated comprises a hollow elongate chamber 1 and an access passage or hatch 2.

The hollow elongate chamber 1 is formed from a plurality of preformed hollow glass-fibre reinforced plastics sections comprising two end sections 3 as illustrated in Figure 2A, two intermediate sections 4 as illustrated in Figure 2B and one intermediate section 5 incorporating the access hatch 2 as illustrated in Figure 2C. Each of the sections 3,4 and 5 is octagonal in cross-section and has one planar wall 6 thereof located at the bottom to form the floor of the shelter and one planar wall 7 located at the top so as to form the roof of the shelter. The access hatch 2 extends upwardly from the wall 7 of the intermediate section 5. A suitable hinged cover 8 (Figure 1) is provided for sealingly closing the hatch 2.

Each of the end sections 3 is closed at one end by an end wall 9 and tapers from the open end thereof down to the end wall 9.

The sections 3, 4 and 5 are sealingly secured together in any suitable manner, e.g., as by forming the adjacent end portions of the sections so that they interfit spigot-and-socket fashion and by sealingly securing the adjacent end portions together as by means of a suitable adhesive.

Although not shown in Figures 1 and 2, one or more of the sections 3,4 or 5 is provided with suitable ventilator means and such ventilator means may be as illustrated in Figure 3.

The ventilator means illustrated in Figure 3 comprises a conduit 10 which extends through the wall 7 of a said section so that one end 11 thereof extends upwardly from the wail 7 and the other end 12 thereof depends downwardly into the chamber 1. A capping 13 is provided over the end 11 of the conduit 10 is spaced relation thereto, the capping 13 comprising a cylindrical peripheral wall 14 spaced from the peripheral wall of the conduit 10 and a conical wall 15 extending upwardly from the peripheral wall 14. A suitable filter material 16, such a filter gauze, is provided between the capping 13 and the conduit 10; In similar manner a capping 17 is provided over the lower end of the conduit 10. The capping 17 is similar to the capping 13 except that it has a fiat bottom wall 18 instead of the conical wall 15.Again filter material 16 is provided between the capping 17 and the conduit 10.

The shelter illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 similarly comprises a hollow elongate chamber 21 and an access passage or hatch 22. The hollow elongate chamber 21 is formed from a plurality of hollow glass-fibre reinforced plastics sections comprising two end sections 23, two intermediate sections 24 incorporating ventilators and one intermediate section 25 incorporating the access hatch 22.

Each of the sections 24 and 25 has a substantially planar bottom wall 26 forming a floor which merges at the sides into continuously curved side walls and roof 27. Each of the end sections 23 has an open end of the same configuration as the adjacent section 24 and tapers down to an end wall 29 which closes the end of the shelter.

The middle intermediate section 25 is provided with a flanged opening 31 in the centre of its roof 27 to which the corresponding flanged opening of the hatch 22 is fixed. Each of the intermediate sections 24 is provided with a flanged opening 32 in the centre of its respective roof 27 to which the corresponding flanged opening of the ventilator 20 is fixed.

The sections 23, 24 and 25 are made glass fibre reinforced plastic mouldings and may each be formed as a single shell which, with its continuously curved cross-section including an arched roof and side walls, shows considerable structural strength while being of light weight. The ventilator 20 and, especially, the access hatch 22 are, however, preferably formed from galvanised steel, being partially exposed above ground level 30.

The sections 23, 24 and 25 are each provided at their open ends with an internal peripheral flange 3Q which not only stiffens the plastics shell forming thg section but also provides the connecting means for joining adjacent sections. As shown in Figure 6, adjacent flanges have matching apertures 37, through which bolts 34 are fastened. Further strengthening of the shelter structure is provided by stiffening plates 35 which have the same external configuration as the sections 23, 24 and 25, have bolt holes matching those in the flanges 33 and are positioned between adjacent sections before the bolts 34 are put in place and tightened. Before final assembly the external faces of the flanges 33 are coated with a thin layer of adhesive resin 36 to seal the joint against ingress of water and air or any other gas.

The stiffening plates 35 have central apertures 37 which may be provided with doors (not shown) to enable the shelter to be divided into separate rooms.

The hatch 22 is provided with a hinged cover 38 which closes on to two neoprene sealing rings 39.

An armoured hatch and cover may be fitted in the case of a shelter sited in an anticipated target area.

The ventilator 20, as shown in Figure 7, comprises a cylindrical box member 41 having a flanged open bottom end for attachment to the flanged opening 32 in a section 24. An air conduit 10 having an upper caping 13 and a lower capping 17, of the same construction as the ventilator shown in Figure 3, passes through the upper end wall of the box member 41 so that the upper capped end 11 of the conduit extends upwardly from the roof 27 and the other capped end 12 depends downwardly into the interior of the box member. In addition to the filter gauze 16 between the cappings 13 and 17 and the upper and lower ends 11 and 12 of the air conduit, further filter gauze 16 is provided between the capping 17 and the inner wall of box member 41 at the air outlet into the interior chamber 21 of the shelter.

A pump may be provided to improve the flow of air through the ventilators 20. Pressure ventilators may especially be used when the shelter is sited in an anticipated target area.

Although in the illustrated embodiments the shelters comprise two ends sections 3 or 23, two intermediate sections 4 or 24 and one intermediate section 5 or 25 it will readily be understood that as manay sections 4 or 5 or 24 or 25 may be provided as are required to produce a shelter of the required size.

It will readily be appreciated that the sections 3,4 and 5 and 23,24 and 25 are of simple design and can be easily produced in sizes which make them relatively easy to handle. The sections can be readily installed below ground to form the shelter simply by digging a trench of suitable size, e.g., using a mechanical digger, dropping the sections into place in the trench, connecting the sections together, and filling in the trench so that only the top of the hatch 2 or 22 and the top of the or each ventilator is at or slightly above ground level.

Claims

1. A nuclear fallout shelter comprising a plurality of preformed hollow sections which can be connected together and which include at least one substantially tubular intermediate section and two end sections adapted to close opposite ends of the shelter, an access passage extending upwardly from at least one of said sections to enable to access to be gained to the interior of the shelter when the shelter is buried below ground, means for closing said access passage, and at least one ventilator means for ventilating the interior of the shelter, said ventilator means including means for filtering radioactive particles from the air entering the shelter.

2. A shelter according to claim 1, wherein a said access passage and a said ventilator means are provided in an intermediate section.

3. A shelter according to claim 1 or claim 2 comprising at least two intermediate sections, at least one of which comprises a said access passage and at least one of which comprises a said ventilator means.

4. A shelter according to any one of the preceding claims, including a stiffening member extending transversely across the shelter and situated between adjacent sections.

5. A shelter according to claim 4, wherein the stiffening member is a plate which extends inwardly from substantially the entire inner periphery of the tubular section wall, and has a passage through its central portion.

6. A shelter according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cross-sectional configuration of said at least one tubular intermediate section is such as to provide a substantially planar wall located at the bottom of the section and forming a floor.

7. A shelter according to claim 6, wherein the said cross-sectional configuration is polygonal.

8. A shelter according to claim 6, wherein the said cross-sectional configuration comprises continuously curved roof and side walls merging into the said substantially planar wall forming the floor.

9. A shelter according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each said end section comprises an end wall and a peripheral wall which at one end is closed by said end wall and which at the other end is of the same cross-sectional configuration and size as the adjacent intermediate section.

10. A shelter according to claim 9, wherein said peripheral wall tapers downwardly from said other end thereof to said one end thereof.

11. A shelter according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each of said sections has at the open end or ends thereof means whereby it may be connected to a next adjacent section or sections.

12. A shelter according to claim 11, wherein each said connecting means comprises an inwardly directed peripheral flange adapted to be connected to the inwardly directed flange of the next adjacent section by suitable fastening means.

13. A shelter according to claim 12, including the stiffening member of claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the stiffening member lies between and is held between the adjacent inwardly directed peripheral flanges.

14. A shelter according to claim 12 or claim 13 wherein said fastening means comprise bolts inserted through mating apertures in said flanges and in said stiffening member, if present.

15. A shelter as claimed in claim 11 wherein said connecting means comprise a socket formed by an open end of one section and a cooperating spigot formed by the adjacent open end of the next section.

16. A shelter as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 15 comprising adhesive or mastic material between the connecting means on adjacent sections.

17. A shelter as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the said sections are formed from a reinforced plastics material.

18. A shelter as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the said access passage and the said means for closing the said access passage are formed from galvanized steel.

19. A shelter as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the said ventilator means comprise a conduit extending outwardly from the peripheral wall of the section in which it is provided, capping over both the inner and outer ends of the conduit is spaced relation thereto and a filtering medium interposed between each capping and the conduit.

20. A shelter as claimed in claim 19 wherein the filtering medium is a filter gauze.

21. A shelter as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, assembled and buried below ground level, a said access passage and a said ventilator means extending upwardly from the buried shelter to above ground level.

22. A nuclear fallout shelter substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 or Figures 4 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

22. A shelter as claimed in claim 21, at least partially encased in concrete.

23. A nuclear fallout shelter substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 or Figures 4 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

New claims or amendments to claims filed on 21st October 1981 Superseded claims 1-23 New or amended claims:- 1-22

1. A nuclearfalloutshelter comprising a plurality of preformed hollow sections of moulded reinforced plastics material which are sealingly connected together, and which include at least one substantially tubular intermediate section and two end sections adapted to close opposite ends of the shelter, an access passage extending upwardly from at least one of said sections to enable access to be gained to the interior of the shelter when the shelter is buried below ground, means for closing said access passage, and at least one ventilator means for ventilating the interior of the shelter.

2. A nuclear fallout shelter according to claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional configuration of said at least one tubular intermediate section is such as to provide a substantially planar wall located at the bottom of the section and forming a floor.

3. A nuclear fallout shelter according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said ventilator means comprises a conduit extending outwardly from the peripheral wall of the section in which it is provided, a capping over both the inner and outer ends of the conduit in spaced relation thereto and a filtering medium interposed between each capping and the conduit.

4. A shelter according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein a said access passage and a said ventilator means is provided in an intermediate section.

5. A shelter according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising at least two intermediate sections, at least one of which comprises a said access passage and at least one of which comprises a said ventilator means.

6. A shelter according to any one of the preceding claims, including a stiffening member extending transversely across the shelter and situated between adjacent sections.

7. A shelter according to claim 6, wherein the stiffening member is a plate which extends inwardly from substantially the entire inner periphery of the tubular section wall, and has a passage through its central portion.

8. A shelter according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the said cross-sectional configuration is polygonal.

9. A shelter according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein said cross-section configuration comprises continuously curved roof and side walls merging into the said substantially planar wall forming the floor.

10. A shelter according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each said end section comprises an end wall and a peripheral wall which at one end is closed by said end wall and which at the other end is of the same cross-sectional configuration and size as the adjacent intermediate section.

11. A shelter according to claim 10, wherein said peripheral wall tapers downwardly from said other end thereof to said one end thereof.

12. A shelter according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each of said sections has at the open end or ends thereof means whereby it may be connected to a next adjacent section or sections.

13. A shelter according to claim 12 wherein each said connecting means comprises an inwardly directed peripheral flange adapted to be connected to the inwardly directed flange of the next adjacent section by suitable fastening means.

14. A shelter according to claim 13, including the stiffening member of claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the stiffening member lies between and is held between the adjacent inwardly directed peripheral flanges.

15. A shelter according to claim 13 or claim 14, wherein said fastening means comprise bolts inserted through mating apertures in said flanges and in said stiffening member, if present.

16. A shelter as claimed in claim 12 wherein said connecting means comprise a socket formed by an open end of one section and a cooperating spigot formed by the adjacent open end of the next section.

17. A shelter as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 16 comprising adhesive or mastic material between the connecting means of adjacent sections.

18. Ashelter as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the said access passage and the said means for closing the said access passage are formed from galvanised steel.

19. A shelter as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the filtering medium is a filter gauze.

20. A shelter as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, assembled and buried below ground level, a said access passage and a said ventilator means extending upwardly from the buried shelter to above ground level.

21. A shelter as claimed in claim 20, at least partially encased in concrete.