GB2123875A - Collapsible building - Google Patents

Abstract

A rectangular box structure has opposed side walls at least one of which is formed from three panels 14, 15 and 16. The outer panel 14 is hinged along a top edge of the box structure to form a roof extension, the intermediate panel 15 is hinged along a bottom edge of the box structure to form a floor extension and the inner panel 16 is hinged to the outer edge of either panel to form an end wall. The two openings which are formed after extending the panels 14, 15 and 16 can be closed by panels which are stored within the collapsed box structure. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Portable container construction This invention relates to portable containers and particularly to a construction which enables a building to be erected on site from a collapsed state.

An object of the invention is to provide a portable collapsible building of such a construction that it can be simplii'erected on site with a volume, when erected, which is considerably greaterthan when collapsed.

According to the present invention, a collapsible, portable container is characterised by a box-like structure ofrectangularform, ofwhich one firsttop and bottom pair of opposed walls are intended to form respectively part of the area of the roof and floor of a building when erected, and at least onewall of a second pair of opposed (side) walls of the box structure is formed by three wall panels which comprise a first panel hinged along the edge ofthetop wall of the box structure so that it can hinge upwardly to extend the roof area ofthe building, a second panel hinged along the edge ofthe bottom wall so that it can be hinged downwardly to similarly extend the floor area of the building, and a third panel, which is hinged along the free edge of one ofthe othertwo panels so that it can be hinged to a substantially vertical position to connectthefree edges ofsaid othertwo panels and hence provide a wall ofthe building when erected, the openings left by such panel hinging being closed-off byfu rther panels, preferably housed within the box structure when collapsed, which are appropriately located in said openings.

Preferably, bothwalls of said second pair of opposed walls are similarlyformed with three hinged wall panels sothatwhen erected the building is extended by appropriately hinging out each said wall.

Particularlywiththe preferred feature referred to immediately above incorporated, the invention provides a construction in which it is possible to increase the volume ofthe container between its collapsed and erected condition considerably. Thus, the construction is particularlysuitablefor emergency use in distant locations, since it can be designed to be of an acceptable size, when collapsed, for comparatively easy transportation by air, land or sea.

Also, where the building is to be used for a specific purpose,such as for an exhibition, ora medical centre, the collapsed volume of the container can be made such that it will accomodate a nd store the fu rnitu re, exhibits, equipment etc. intended to be used with the bdkting when erected.

According to a feature of the invention, the bottom wall of said box structure which forms part of the floor area ofthe building when erected is provided on its under-surface with levelling jacks, and the or each said second panel is also provided with levelling jacks, whereby said wall and said panels can be readily aligned on theirfoundation during erection ofthe building.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, andfurtherfeatures made apparent, one embodimentwill now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figures 1 to 9 are general perspective views showing the steps in erecting the building from its collapsed condition, Figure 10 is a similar general perspective view showing one manner in which a number of individual erected building can be combined to form a building of appreciable size for use as a clinic, emergency hospital, command post, barracks, school, etc., Figures 11 to 15 are enlarged fragmentary cross- sectional views of the building construction which correspond respectively with Figures 1 to 5, and, Figure 16 is a sectional view on the line XVI-XVl of Figure 9.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 the portable building 1 is shown in its collapsed condition for transportation or storage in which condition ittakes the form of a rectangular box structure having opposed top and bottom walls 2,3, end walls 4 and 6, and side walls 5 and 7. The opposed side walls 5 and 7 may be provided with one or more protection rails 8, and the end wall may be covered with plywood protection panels 9 (see Figure 2), which rails and panels are removed priorto erection of the building.The bottom wall 3, which forms part of the floor area ofthe erected building, is provided on its underneath surface with small casters 20 (see Figure 11) to permit ready movementduring storage and/ortransitand also a jacking system 10 by which said bottom wall can be initially levelled on the foundation on which the building is to be erected. Said bottom wall is strengthened by hollow steel channel sections 11 provided lifting points for a crane, fork lifttruck, or the like. Thetopwall 1 andsidewalls5and7,which together form the total roofarea ofthe building as described below are covered with vinyl roof sheeting, or other appropriate weather-proofing material.

As shown in Figure 2, the end wall 4 is provided with an access door 12 forthe building. Also, as shown in Figure 2 a temporary prop 13 is stored diagonally beneath each protection panel 9 for a purpose described below. Referring now to corresponding Figures 11 and 12 each side wall 5 and 7 is basically formed from three panels 14to 16, ofwhich each outer panel 14is hinged at l7alongatop cornerofthe box structure, each intermediate panel 15 is hinged at 18 along a bottom corner of the box, and each innermost panel 16 is hinged at 19 to the outer edge ofthe panel 15.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 13, to extend the side wall 5, the outermost panel 14 is hinged upwardlyto align with the top wall 2 and is held in this position by the temporary props 13.

The intermediate panel 15 is then hinged downwardly (see Figures 4 and 14) and is adjusted into alignment with the floor surface ofthe bottom wall 5 via levelling jacks 21.

The panel 16 isthen hinged upwardly (see Figures 5 and 15) and appropriately connected alongthefree edge of the panel 14to form an end wall 22 of the building when erected. It will be noted from Figure 15 thatthe height of the end wall 22 is provided by an upwardly extended hollow steel section 23 forming the outward edge of the panel 15 and an open channel steel section 24which is hinged along the free edge of the panel 14 in such a waythat, with the end wall erected, the opening of said channel section faces outwardlyfrom the end wall and the free edge of the panel 14 overlaps and rests thereon as shown.The connection ofthe end wall 22to the panel 14 is then accomplished via angle brackets 25 fixing between the underside of the panel 14 and said channel opening. Itwill be appreciated thatthe temporary props 13 are removed at this stage of erection. It will also be appreciated at this stage that two opposed rectangular openings 26 are left after extending the panels 14to 16 and conveniently these are closed off byfurther panels 27 (see particularly Figure 16) which are stored and transported within the collapsed box structure and which, at this stage, are accessible.

Conveniently, the side edges of the panels 14 and 15 are constructed with open channel steel sections 28 and 29which are arrangedsuchthattheycanslidingly receivetheupperand loweredgesofsaid panel 27.

The hinge joints and other connecting points of the building are appropriately sealed and finished e.g. as shownforthe hinge 17 in Figure 15.

Referring to Figures 7 and 8, the side wall 7 is extended in a similar mannerto that described above and the openings left closed-off by further sliding panels 30, stored within the box structure.

Finally, the completely erected building can be finished-off with trim strips as appropriate and weather-boarding 31 around the roof edge (see Figures9and 16).

As shown in the Figures, windows 32 are preformed in the sliding panels 27,30. However, itwill be appreciated thatthese can be preformed additionally, or instead, in the panels 16 providing the endwalls 22.

Itwill be appreciated from theforegoing thatthe building when erected is of significantly greater volumethanwhen collapsed. One proposed dimentioning provides a collapsed box structure with a heightA (see Figure 1) of 2.4 M, a width of 1.2 M and a depth of 3.0 M. When extended this can produce a building 2.4 M high, 6.0 M wide and 3.0 M deep.

It will also be appreciated that with the associated furniture, equipment, etc. contained within the collapsed box structure, good security is provided during storage and transit, since these items are not accessible until erection ofthe building is underway.

An important advantage of the building construction according to the invention, and as described above, is that erection can be completed with a minimum of two relatively unskilled men.

As shown in Figure 10, a number of buildings can be appropriately combined to form clinics, temporary offices, emergency accomodation etc., e.g. by not closing-off selected opening 26 with sliding panels 27 or30, and locating and connectingtwo or more buildingstogetherwithsaid openings contiguously arranged.

The open channel steel section 24 is hinged to the left-hand upperedge of the panel 16as shewrr in Figure 15. Similar steel sections 34 and 36 extend along the longitudinal and right-hand transverse edges respectively ofthe panel 14 as shown in Figure 15. The opening of the section 34faces downwardly and the opening of the section36 faces outwardly from the end wall 22 as shown in Figure 15. Afurther steel section 38, similar to the section 24 extends along the left-hand transverse edge ofthe panel 15 as shown in Figure 15.

Spring biassed nuts are slidably retained in the sections 24,34,36 and 38. Referring to page 5 and Figure 15, angle brackets 25 are located with their armsfacing the openings of the sections 24 and 34.

These brackets 25 have bolt holes passing through them. The nuts are slid along the sections 24 and 34to align with the bracket holes, and bolts are inserted through the bracket holes and screwed into the nuts to provide a secure connection between the panels 14 and 16.

The Specification has described how the sidewall 5 is extended by pivoting or hinging the panels 14,15 and 16form an extended region.

Figure 11 showsthe panels 14,15 and 16 in their folded up position. Further angle brackets 25 are located against the openings of the sections 36 and 38, and securely bolted to these sections as previously described. In this folded up position the section 24 is hinged at right-anglesto the panel 16.

Figures 11 to 15 illustrate the panels 14to 16 in various stages between their folded up position and theirfully erected position. It will be appreciated that this construction enables the folded panels to be contained in the box structure and alsoforthe combination ofthe panel 16 and the sections 23 and 24to have sufficient heightto supportthe panel 14 withoutthis panel 14sloping downwardly from the top wall 2.

Claims (11)

1. Acollapsible portable container comprising a box-likestructureofrectangularform having one first top and bottom pair of opposedwalls intended to form respectively part ofthe area ofthe roof and floor of a building when erected, and at least one wall of a second pairofopposedwalls of the box structure formed by three wall panels which comprises a first panel hinged along the edge of the top wall of the box structure so that it can hinge upwardlyto extend the roof area ofthe building, a second panel hinged along the edge ofthe bottom wall so that it can be hinged downwardlyto similarly extend the floor area of the building, and a third panel which is hinged along the free edge of one ofthe othertwo panels so that it can be hinged to a substantially vertical position to connectthefreeedgesofsaidothertwo panelsand hence provide a wall ofthe building when erected,the openings left by such panel hinging being closed-off byfurther panels, said further panels being detachable from all the other panels and walls and storable within the box structure when collapsed

2. A portable container as claimed in Claim 1 in which both walls of said second pair of opposed walls are similarly formed with three hinged wall panels so that when erected the building can be extended by appropriately hinging out each of saidwaìl panels.

3. Aportable container as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the bottom wall of the box-like structure is provided with levelling jacks.

4. A portable container as claimed in any preceding Claim in which the or each second panel is provided with levelling jacks.

5. A portable container as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which the said free edges ofthe third panel and the said other panel are maintained in connection by an open-channel section member facing outwardly from the third panel with the other panel resting thereon, and at least one angle bracket located between said other panel and the channel opening.

6. A portable container as claimed in any preceding Claim in which open channel sections are arranged along the edges ofthe said first and second panels to slidingly receive associated edges of said further panels.

7. A portable container as claimed in any preceding Claim including temporary props to align the said first panel with the said top wall.

8 A portable container as claimed in any preced ing, Claim in which the said bottom wall is streng thenedto provide lifting points.

9. A portable container as claimed in any preceding Claim in which the said bottom wall is provided on Fts lower surface with castors.

TO A portable container as claimed in any preceding Claim including protection panels for the end wall ofthe box-like structure.

11. A collapsible portable containersubstantially asherein described and shown in the accompanying drawings.