GB2204537A

GB2204537A - Transportable temporary accommodation units with raisable wheels

Info

Publication number: GB2204537A
Application number: GB08810779A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gordon Wood Ratcliffe; Gordon Paul Ratcliffe
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-05-08
Filing date: 1988-05-06
Publication date: 1988-11-16
Anticipated expiration: 2008-05-06
Also published as: GB8710994D0; GB8810779D0; GB2204537B

Abstract

The accommodation unit, which can be towed by road vehicles to be used as temporary offices, mobile exhibitions or the like, comprises a box-like body 1 having a towbar 7, an axle 8 with a pair of wheels 9 mounted by suspension springs 10. Each spring 10 can be disengaged at one end from the body when the latter is supported by, in combination, one end and a pair of hydraulic rams 11: the body can be lowered to the ground using the ram, such that the lower edges of the sidewalls and endwalls of the body all rest on the ground with the wheels, axle, springs and rams within the area defined by the above-mentioned lower edges. <IMAGE>

Description

Transportable Temporary Accommodation nits The present invention is concerned with transportable temporary accommodation units, and, in particular accommodation units of the nature of trailers which can be towed by road vehicles to sites where they can be used for purposes such as stores, temporary offices, canteens, mobile exhibitions or the like.

Conventionally, such accommodation units have been in the form of trailers (similar in nature to towable caravans) provided with their own wheels. Such a trailer is towed to the desired point of use, detached from the towing vehicle and allowed to rest on its road wheels and a jockey wheel and/or support legs. Such accommodation units are vulnerable to vandalism, particularly because of the exposed wheels.

As a solution to this problem, transportable accommodation units in the nature of steel or aluminium shipping-type containers have been proposed; such containers do not have wheels and are therefore generally transported on the back of a lorry provided with a lift or crane.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an accommodation unit having much of the desirable vandal-resistance of such shipping-type containers, while being towable and therefore more flexible in its range of uses.

According to the present invention, there is provided a transportable temporary accommodation unit, which comprises a box-like body structure comprising a base, a pair of opposed sidewalls, a pair of opposed endwalls and a roof; means for attachment of the body structure to a towing vehicle; at least one axle having at least one pair of wheels mounted thereon; suspension means convertible from a first disposition in which they engage the axle with the body structure so as to permit the latter to be supported by the wheels above the ground, and a second disposition in which the axle is disengaged from the body structure so as to permit the latter to rest directly on the ground; and means for selectively raising or lowering the body structure when the axle is disengaged from the body structure; in which when the suspension means is in the second disposition and the body structure rests on the ground, the axle, wheels, suspension means and raising/lowering means are all within the area defined by the lower edges of the sidewalls and endwalls.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a transportable temporary accommodation unit in the form of a trailer, which comprises a box-like body structure having a base, a roof and sidewalls; means for attachment of said body structure to a towing vehicle; at least one axle secured to the body structure; at least one pair of wheels mounted on the or each axle wholly within the area defined by the sidewalls; suspension means adapted for selective engagement of the at least one axle with the body structure so as to either permit the latter to be supported by the wheels above the ground or to permit the sidewalls of the body structure to rest directly on the ground; and means for selectively raising or lowering the body structure when the at least one axle is disengaged from said body structure.

Preferably, the accommodation unit according to the invention contains one wheeled axle located at an intermediate position along the length of the body structure.

It is further preferred that the or each axle is mounted to said body structure by a pair of suspension springs, which are preferably releasably secured at one end thereof to the body structure, for example by a channel-shaped bracket provided on the body structure. The ends of the springs are preferably releasably secured to the brackets by respective pins'passing through opposed side walls of the brackets.

The means for raising or lowering said body structure typically comprises a pair of laterally spaced rams, the rams being spaced on a line substantially parallel to the axle. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the rams are located forward of the axle (between the axle and the means for attachment to a towing vehicle), such that when the axle is disengaged from the body structure, the latter can be supported by, in combination, the.rams and the endwalls which are remote from the towing attachment.

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic, partially cut-away side elevation of an accommodation unit according to the invention supported on its wheels and ready to be towed; Figure 2 is a view similar to that of Figure 1, showing the body in partially lowered position, supported by rams and the trailing end of the body; Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 2, showing the body in fully lowered position, with the axle disengaged from the body; Figure 4 is a plan view of the accommodation unit of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a schematic illustration of part of the accommodation unit of Figure 1, showing in more detail how the axle can be selectively engaged with, and disengaged from, the body; and Figure 6 is a schematic illustration showing part of what is illustrated in Figure 1.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4, there is shown a trailer comprising a box-like body 1 having a roof 2, a base 3, sidewalls 4, front endwall 5 and rear endwall 6. Endwall 5 is provided with a towbar 7. The body 1 has an axle 8 with a pair of wheels 9, the axle and wheels being connected to the body by suspension springs 10. Body 1 can be raised or lowered using rams 11; the sequence of operations on lowering the body will now be described.

The trailer is initially in the position shown in Figure 1 (that is, supported on its wheels and ready to be towed). The rams 11 are the extended until they engage the ground; they are further extended until the lowermost portion 13 of rear endwall 6 engages the ground, as shown in Figure 2.

The springs 10 are then disengaged from the body (as will be described below with reference to Figures 5 and 6) and the rams 11 are retracted to the position shown in Figure 3, such that the body is supported solely by the lower portions of sidewalls 4 and endwalls 5 and 6.

Referring to Figures 5 and 6, one end c of each spring 10 is retained in channel-shaped brackets g, secured to the axle 8. Each end c is secured by a cotter pin e passing through an aperture in the respective bracket g. A split pin f passes through an aperture h at the free end of cotter pin e.

When it is desired to lower the body, each pin f is removed from the position illustrated in Figure 6 so as to permit disengagement of the spring 10 from the axle 8; the rams 11 are then engaged with the ground so as to lift the wheels 9 from the ground (Figure 2). The body 1 is then lowered to the ground using rams 11 so that the body 1 and the wheels 9 rest on the ground (Figure 3).

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A transportable temporary accommodation unit, which comprises: - (a) a box-like body structure comprising a base, a pair of opposed sidewalls, a pair of opposed endwalls and a roof; (b) means for attachment of said body structure to a towing vehicle; (c) at least one axle having at least one pair of wheels mounted thereon; (d) suspension means convertible from a first disposition in which said suspension means engage said axle with said body structure so as to permit the latter to be supported by said wheels above the ground, and a second disposition in which said axle is disengaged from said body structure so as to permit the latter to rest directly on the ground; and (e) means for selectively raising or lowering the body structure when said axle is disengaged from said body structure;; in which when the suspension means is in said second disposition and said body structure rests on the ground, said axle, wheels, suspension means and raising/lowering means are all within the area defined by the lower edges of said sidewalls and endwalls.

2. An accommodation unit according to claim 1, which includes one said axle.

3. An accommodation unit according to claim 1 or 2, in which the or each said axle is mounted to said body structure by a pair of respective suspension spring members.

4. An accommodation unit according to claim 3, in which each of said spring members is releasably secured at one end thereof to said body structure.

5. An accommodation unit according to claim 4, in which said one ends of said spring members are releasably secured to a channel-shaped bracket provided on said body structure.

6. An accommodation unit according to claim 5, in which said one ends of said spring members are releasably secured to said brackets by respective pins passing through opposed side walls of said brackets.

7. An accommodation unit according to any of claims 3 to 6, in which each of said spring members has a second end which is pivotally attached to said body structure

8. An accommodation unit according to any of claims 1 to 7, in which said means for raising or lowering said body structure comprises a pair of laterally spaced rams, the rams being spaced on a line substantially parallel to said axle.

9. An accommodation unit according to any of claims 1 to 8, in which said means for selectively raising or lowering said body structure is disposed between said axle and said means for attachment to a towing vehicle, such that when said axle is disengaged from said body structure, said body structure can be supported by, in combination, said means for raising and lowering said body structure and said endwalls which are remote from said means for attachment to a towing vehicle.

10. A transportable temporary accommodation unit substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A trailer, which comprises: (a) a box-like body structure having a base, a roof and sidewalls; (b) means for attachment of said body structure to a towing vehicle; (c) at least one axle secured to said body structure; (d) at least one pair of wheels mounted on the or each said axle wholly within the area defined by said sidewalls; (e) suspension means adapted for selective engagement of said at least one axle with said body structure so as to either permit the latter to be supported by said wheels above the ground or to permit said sidewalls of said body structure to rest directly on the ground; and (f) means for selectively raising or lowering the body structure when said at least one axle is disengaged from said body structure.