US3774955A

US3774955A - Mobile housing unit

Info

Publication number: US3774955A
Application number: US00045068A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Byer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-06-10
Filing date: 1970-06-10
Publication date: 1973-11-27
Anticipated expiration: 1990-11-27

Abstract

A self-supported mobile housing unit comprising an upper part including a box-like framed structure that is supported on the ground by wheels attached by supports to the framed structure. The upper part has stationary walls. A lower part, that is interconnected with the upper part, has a horizontally extending floor and at least one upper and one lower wall section. The lower part is vertically moveable so as to be contained in the upper part upon actuation of a lifting mechanism carried by the framed structure. Upon movement of the lower part including the floor, the lower wall section and upper wall section move vertically into a telescopic nested position with the stationary walls of the upper part to allow a motor vehicle to be received under the upper part between the supports and coupled to the mobile housing unit. The walls of the upper part and lower part may be provided with openings and a telescoping door to provide egress from and ingress to the mobile housing unit.

Description

United States Patent [191 Byer [ Nov. 27, 1973 MOBILE HOUSING UNIT Joseph I. Byer, 2896 Radisson Ave., Windsor, Ontario, Canada [22] Filed: June 10, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 45,068

[76] Inventor:

Primary Examiner-Philip Goodman Attorney--Jerry G. Beck [57] ABSTRACT A self-supported mobile housing unit comprising an upper part including a box-like framed structure that is supported on the ground by wheels attached by supports to the framed structure. The upper part has stationary walls. A lower part, that is interconnected with the upper part, has a horizontally extending floor and at least one upper and one lower wall section. The lower part is vertically moveable so as to be contained in the upper part upon actuation of a lifting mechanism carried by the framed structure. Upon movement of the lower part including the floor, the lower wall section and upper wall section move vertically into a telescopic nested position with the stationary walls of the upper part to allow a motor vehicle to be received under the upper part between the supports and coupled to the mobile housing unit. The walls of the upper part and lower part may be provided with openings and a telescoping door to provide egress from and ingress to the mobile housing unit.

8 Claims, 10 Drawing, Figures IIEES INVENTOR JOSEPH I BYER BY gm ATTORNEY PATENTEUNUYZY ms 3.774.955 saw u U? 4 I I I I l l l t.

E E Lg INVENTOR JOSEPH I. BYER M 805i ATTORNEY MOBILE HOUSING UNIT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention represents an improvement over the mobile housing unit described in US. Pat. No. 3,346,295 in thatthe lower part has its wall devided into at least one upper wall section and at least one lower wall section that are vertically moveable in a telescopic manner so as to be in a nested position with the stationary walls of the upper part when the lower part is fully contained in the upper part. This permits the lower part to have .a height dimension of twice or more the height of the upper part. Thus, the overall height of the mobile housing unit in an extended position does not have to be increased to provide optimum headroom inside the mobile housing unit when the lower part has been lowered and the floor is at substantially ground level.

In the prior art US. Pat. No. 3,145,044 discloses a camper body which is extendable to a height higher than that of the cab of a pick-up truck in order to provide. adequate room for camping. The walls of this camper body have accordion walls which differentiates from the telescopic wall construction of this invention.

In U.S. Pat. No. 2,739,833, a two-story house trailer is depicted in which the second story compartment has vertically extendible walls that are constructed from telescopically arranged segments. Although a few structural details have some similarity to the structure shown in this invention, the overall function and objectives of the invention are entirely different.

Thelower part of the mobile housing unithas at least two wall sections that will permit the wall sections of the lower part, upon being lifted vertically by the vertical upward movement of the floor, to be contained within the upper part so as to allow an automotive vehicle to be received under the lifted floor and be coupled thereto and the framed structure of the mobile housing unit.

The automotive vehicle can now propel the mobile housing unit to its destination and, only after being uncoupled and moved from under the structure, can the lower part and floor be lowered to effect a full size mobile housing unit. In the prior art, the ceiling and walls are raised to provide a second story compartment which extends above the height of a regular trailer while in this invention the floor and sections of the lower walls are lowered to provide a full size mobile housing unit that isnot larger than a conventional trailer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a mobile housing unit which is a substantial improvement over the mobile housing unit depicted in US. Pat. No. 3,346,295.

The self-supported mobile housing unit of this invention comprises an upper part including a framed structure supported on the ground by at least two wheels. The upper part has at least one stationary wall. A lower part, which is interconnected with the upper part, has at least one upper wall section and one lower wall section to which a floor is attached. It is to be understood that the lower part can have many wall sections to form thewalls of the lower part. A lifting mechanism carried bythe framed structure is interconnected to the floor toallow the floor and the lower part to be raised vertically into the upper lart upon actuation of the lifting mechanism. During the raising of the lower part, the wall sections of the lower part are vertically moved from their extended position into a telescopically nested position with each other and with the stationary wall of the upper part.

Further, this invention provided a novel expandible opening, framed by structural door frame members, in the wall of the upper part and in the wall sections of the lower part which allows ample room for egress and ingress and into the mobile housing unit when the lower part is in its fully extended position. A unique telescoping door for the opening is also provided which automatically will extend itself, from its collapsed position covering the opening in the stationary wall in theupper part, to a fully telescopically vertically extended position to cover the expanded opening in the stationary wall of the upper part and in the moveable wall sections of the lower part.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the mobile housing unit partially in section.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the mobile housing unit in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view in perspective of the door frame for the mobile housing unit.

FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view of the mobile housing unit, with the lower part raised, being propelled by an automobile.

FIG. 6 is a partial rear elevational view of the mobile housing unit depicting the door opening.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken generally along line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a front view of the door in a collapsed position.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken generally along line 9-9 of FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is a front view, partially in section, of the door in an extended position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, in FIG. 1 and 2 is seen a fully extended mobile housing unit generally designated as 11. The unit 11 comprises a framed structure 12 which is self-supported by ground-engaging wheels 13 that are connected to each side of the main portion of the structure 12 by vertical supports 14. The framed structure 12 has a rectangular roof structure 15 and four vertical posts 16, approximately 3 feet long, extending downwardly from the roof structure. The lower ends of the corner posts 16 are connected by horizontally extending rails 17, that are provided with a continuous inwardly extending flange 18 as seen in FIG. 3. Vertical wall panels 19 enclose the sides to provide stationary walls 21 which, together with the roof structure 15, define an upper part 22 of the mobile housing unit 1 l.

The supports 14 extend downward from the upper part 22 at a transverse spacing that is sufficient to straddle a conventional automotive vehicle 23 as seen in FIG. 5, the function and purpose thereof will be discussed hereafter. Each support 14 incorporates a coil spring suspension unit 24. A bifurcated member 25 attached to the coil spring suspension 24 straddles a pneumatic tire mounted on a wheel 13 which is supported by an axle 26 carried by the bifurcated member 25. The coil spring suspension 24 absorbs the jounce and rebound movement of the wheels 13 while the mobile housing unit 11 is traveling on the road. A fender 27 connected to the support 14 and axle 26 partially encompasses the tire.

Some of the corner posts 16 are of a tubular configuration to house a telescopic stanchion 28 that can be extended downwardly to rest on the ground as seen in FIG. 1. After the extended stanchion28 is locked into place, it provides a firm ground support for the parked mobile housing unit 11 together with the groundengaging wheels 13.

Windows 29 are installed in the upper part 22 by mounting fixed or sliding glass frames in the wall panels 19. On at least one side, in this instance on the rear side of the upper part 22, a rectangular opening 31 is provided that is circumscribed by two fixed vertically extending door frame members 32 and one fixed horizontally extending door frame member 33 to frame the opening 31 on two sides and the top as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 6. The opening 31 may extend to the roof structure but usually terminates below the roof.

As seen in FIGS. 6, at the lower end of the vertically extending door frame member 32 is a lower stub flange 34 that extends into the opening 31. To the stub flange 34 is welded the continuous horizontally extending rail 17 with its flange 18 extending inwardly into the upper part 22 and continuing along the inside of the walls 19 until it connects with stub flange 34 at the other door frame number 32 as seen in FIG. 4. The wall panels 19 are fastened to the outside of the rail 7 and the roof structure 15.

The mobile housing unit 11 also has a lower part 35 which comprises a horizontally extending floor 36 that is approximately equal in area with the framed structure 12 of the upper part 22. The floor 36 has cut-outs 37 that clear the fenders 27, wheels 13,.and supports 14 as best seen in FIG. 1 and 2. The lower part 35 has four vertical walls 38 that extend upward from the periphery of the floor 36. Each wall 38 has at least an upper wall section 39 and at least a lower wall section 41. The lower wall section 41 comprises structural members 42 extending vertically upward from each corner of the floor 36 with the bottom of each member 42 attached to the floor 36 as seen in the cut away portion of FIG. 1. A rectangular frame 43 is attached to the top of each structural member 42. The frame 43 has an outwardly extending flange 44. Stringers 45 connect the frame 43 to the floor 36 immediate the structural members 42 for additional strength as best seen in FIG. 3.

Vertical wall panels 19 are attached to the inward surface of the lower wall section 41 and also may be attached to its outward surface and insulation placed therebetween.

The upper wall section 39 is a construction similar to the lower wall section 41 except that it is provided with rectangular frame 46 as it bottom instead of the floor 36. The upper wall section 39 is placed slightly outward of the lower wall section 41. As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the frame 46 has an inwardly extending flange 47 that is below but directly vertically aligned with flange 44 of the frame 43 of the lower wall section 41. A frame 48 at the top of the upper wall section 39 also has a flange 49, that extends outwardly and overlaps 1 flange 18 of the upper part 22.

In FIG. 6 is depicted the rear elevation of the mobile housing unit 11 in which a second opening 51 is provided in the upper wall section 39. The opening 51 is in vertical alignment with but slightly smaller than the first opening 31 and framed by two vertically extending door frame members 52, one on each side of the opening 51. As best seen in FIGS. 4 and 7, the door frame members 52 extend outwardly of the upper wall section 39 so that their outward facing surfaces are in the same vertical plane as the outside facing surfaces of the

door frame members

32 and 33.

Each door frame member 52 has a stub flange 53 at the upper end that extends in a direction opposite of the second opening 51 and is vertically aligned with the horizontal flange 34 so as to overlap it. At the bottom of each door frame member 52 is a second stub flange 54 that extends into the second opening 51.

The lower wall section 41 has a third opening 55 in the rear side of the lower part 35 which is framed by two vertically extending door frame members 56 and the floor 36. The third opening 55 is slightly smaller than, but in vertical alignment with, the second opening 51 as seen in FIG. 6. The door frame members 56 extend outwardly of the lower wall section 41 so that their outside facing surfaces also lie in the same vertical plane as the outside facing surfaces of

door frame members

32, 52, & 56.

The upper end of door frame members 56 have a stub flange 57 extending horizontally in a direction away from the third opening 55 and in vertical alignment with stub flange 54. The bottom ends of the door frame members 56 are attached to the floor 36. A floor jamb 58 is attached to the floor 36 immediate to the vertical door frame members 56 as best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7.

A lifting mechanism 59 is carried by the framed structure 12 in the upper part 22 below the roof structure 15 as seen in FIG. 1. The lifting mechanism 59, in this instance, is depictued as a motor 61 with drive pulley 62 supported on a bracket 63. Ropes 64 connected to the drive pulley 62 extend horizontally under the roof structure 15 along each side of the mobile housing unit 11. The ropes 64 wind around pulleys 65 positioned in the corners and in the center on each side and then continue downward to attach to the floor 36 at at least four spaced points outside the lower walls 38. The motor 61 can be powered by a storage battery or an external power source such as the electrical system of an automobile. The operation of the lifting mechanism 59 will be explained hereafter.

As best seen in FIGS. 8-10, a door 66, comprising in this instance, three distinct panels, is provided to close off the openings 31, 53 and 57. The door 66 could also be constructed of two panels with one panel large enough to close off the largest opening provided. The two panels, if fully extended, will close ofi all the openings in the walls of the upper and lower parts defining an entrance to or exit from the mobile housing unit 11. In FIGS. 9 and 10 is shown an upper door panel 67, which is of a sufficient area to cover the opening 31, and is connected at one side to the vertical extending door frame member 32 by hinges 68. On the other side of the upper panel 67 is a sliding bolt 69 operable from the inside or outside of the panel 69 which permits the door 66 to be locked shut by sliding bolt 69 through U- shaped retaining member 71 fastened to the other vertical extending door frame member 32. The upper panel 67 is hollow so as to telescopically receive a sec- 0nd panel 72 and a third panel 73 which can be extended downwardly to close off the second opening 51 and third opening 55 respectively. A guide system 74 depicted in FIG. is provided for the second and third panels 72, 73 to allow the third panel 73 to be guided so as to be telescopically received within the second panel 72, which is hollow, and the second panel 72 to be guided to allow it to be telescopically received in the upper panel 67 while maintaining the door 66 rigid in a vertical plane.

The third panel 73 is slightly smaller in area than the second panel 72. As best seen in FIGS. 9 and 10, the second panel 72 has an outward facing channel 75 attached to each side thereof. A first tubular member 76 is received in each channel 75. A vertical slot 77 is cut, oneach side of the door 66, into the upper portion of the side of the upper panel 67. A first sliding guide means 78, such as a bolt with a nut at a fixed distance from the head of the bolt, has its head welded to the upper outside corner of the first tubular member 76 and its bold portion is extending through slot 77.

The third panel 73 also has an outward facing channel 79 on each side with a second tubular member 81 received in each channel 79. A second sliding guide means 82 is welded to the upper outward facing side of the second panel 72 and extends through a vertical slot 83 cut into the upper half of the inner facing surface of the first tubular member 76.

A third sliding guide means 84 is welded to the upper corner of the outside surface of the second tubular member 81 and extends through a vertical slot 85 cut through the lower portion of the inward side of the first tubular member 76 and through the upper portion of the outward facing side of the second panel 72. Vertical slot 85 is spaced laterally from vertical slot 83 not to cause interference between sliding guide means 82 and 84.

A fourth sliding guide means 86 is welded to the lower corner of the inside surface of the second tubular member 81 and extends through a vertical slot 87 cut into the lower portion of the outward side of the third panel 73. The bottom of the third panel 73 can be directly connected to the floor 36 by a hook means 89 which can also be designed to serve as a hinge.

When the floor 36 is in its lowr position, the tubular member 76 extends from approximately the middle of the hollow upper panel 67 to the middle of the second panel 72 since the sliding guide means 78 will bottom out in the upper slot 77. The second tubular member 81 will also extend from the middle of the second panel 72 to the middle of the third panel 73 as sliding guide means 82 will ride in vertical slot 83 until it bottoms out.

The

channels

75, 79 act as guide rails for the

tubular members

76, 81 which provide rigidity to the door 66 when the

panel

67, 72 and 73 are fully vertically extended as seen in FIG. 10. The door 66 is hingedly supported by the upper panel 67 from the upper part 22. The peripheral inside surface of the door 66 engages the outward facing surfaces of the

door frame members

32, 33 52, 56 and floor jamb 58 to close off the first, second, and

third openings

31, 51 and 55. Sealing strips 88 are attached to the outward facing surfaces of the door frame members as seen in FIGS. 6 and 7 to close off any air gaps caused by the differences in thickness of the

various door panels

67, 72 and 73. The hook means 89 locks the door 66 to the floor 36 on the out side of the mobile housing unit 11 to allow the door 66 to be vertically extended from its collapsed position as seen in, FIG. 8 to its extended position as seen in FIG. 10 upon downward movement or lowering of the floor 36.

Attached to the underside of the floor 36 is a ball 91 to serve as a coupling means when received by a socket 92 attached to the roof of motor vehicle 23 as best seen in FIG. 5. The ball 91 is guided into the socket 92 by a guiding means 93 mounted on the roof of motor vehicle 23. Further, the motor vehicle 23 incoporates two vertical members 94 carried by stub members 95 horizontally extending outwardly from the rear bumper on each side of the vehicle 23. The vertical members 94 also have a ball 96 at the top thereof.

As best seen in FIG. 1, a horizontal connecting mem ber 97 is pivotally and hingedly attached to each support 14 above the coil spring suspension 24. The member 97 extends rearwardly from the support 14 and terminates in a socket 98. A triangular bumper 99 is attached-to the member 97 to abut vertical members 94. The socket 98 is coupled to the ball 96 on each side of the motor vehicle 23 to the mobile housing until 11 when the lower part 35 has been completely raised and the motor vehicle 23 has been received underneath the floor 36 and between the wheels 13.

THE OPERATION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As can be readily understood from the description, when the floor 36 is in a raised position and received within the upper part 22, the second and third panels 72, 73 and the

tubular members

76, 81 serving as guiding and stabilizing means have been telescopically received in the upper door panel 67 as seen in FIG. 8. The door 66 is collapsed automatically by the upward force applied directly to the third and second panel 73, 72 by the vertical movement of the floor 36 abutting the bottom side of the third panel 73.

The lower wall section 41 and the upper wall section 39 of the walls 38 of the lower part 35 also vertically move in a telescopic manner upon the upward movement of the floor 36. When the lower part 35 has been fully received within the upper part 22 of the mobile housing unit 11, the lower wall section 41, the upper wall section 39 of the lower part 35 and the stationary walls 21 of the upper part 22 are in an adjacent, nested position to each other as seen in FIG. 5. In an extended position as best seen in FIG. 3, when the floor 36 has been lowered, the flange 49 of the upper wall section 39 overlaps and abuts flange 18 of the stationary wall 21 and the flange 44 of lower wall section 41 overlaps and abuts flange 47 of the upper wall section 39 of the lower part 35 to provide an interlocked and continuous exterior wall for the mobile housing unit 11.

The vertically extending structural

door frame members

32, 52 and 56, defining the door opening, extend outwardly from the

walls

21, 38. These members are vertically moveable in a telescopic manner upon up ward movement of the floor 36. As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 6, with the door openings 31, 51 and in an extended position, the flange 53 of the structural member 52 contiguous to the second opening 52 overlaps and abuts flange 34 of the vertically extending door frame member 32; and flange 57 of the door frame member 56 contiguous to the third opening 55 overlaps and abuts flange 54 of the structural member 52. The horizontally extending member 33 with

vertical members

32, 52 and 56 serve as the door frame. The outward facing surfaces of the

door frame members

32, 33, 52 and 56 lie in one vertical plane as best seen in FIG. 7. The door 66, which is slightly larger than the

door openings

31, 51 and 55, also lies in the same vertical plane. The door 66 is hingedly connected to allow pivotally movement between open and closed positions so as to provide access to the mobile housing unit 11.

When the lifting mechanism 59 is actuated, the lower part 35 including the floor 36 is raised to permit a motor vehicle 23 to be received underneath the upper part 22 between the supports 14. After the stanchions 28 are raised and motor vehicle 23 coupled to the mobile housing unit 11 as heretofore described, the entire mobile housing unit 11, in a piggy back manner although self-supported by wheels 13, is propelled by the motor vehicle 23 to its destination. The vision of the driver is not obstructed by the mobile housing unit 11 which is coupled to the motor vehicle 23 but selfsupported by the ground engaging wheels 13. The furniture and appliances supported on the floor 36 are received within the upper part 22 during travel.

Upon reaching the destination, the motor vehicle is uncoupled at ball 96 from socket 98 by pivoting member 97 and the stanchions 28 are lowered. Then the motor vehicle 23 is driven from underneath the upper part 22 of the mobile housing unit 11 which causes ball 91 to uncouple from socket 92. Then, the lifting mechanism 59 is actuated and the floor 36 is lowered.

As can be readily understood, the unique wall and door construction of the mobile housing unit 11 of this invention results in a housing unit of a large dimension when the lower part 35 has been lowered from the upper part 22, which is equal in size or even larger than most trailers or mobile homes on the market today. The extended door 66 permits egress and ingress without stooping. Upon vertical movement of the lower part 35 into the upper part 22 so as to allow a propelling motor vehicle 23 to be received under the upper part 22, a compact mobile housing unit 11 is obtained. Such a unit on the road is safer as it is substantially less in length than an automobile pulling a conventional trailer. This is accomplished without sacrificing any space in the mobile housing unit 11 when it is used for camping.

By having the lower part 35 telescopically collapse into two distinct sections before it is received in the upper part 22, the mobile housing unit 11 is not any higher than a conventional trailer when propelled by motor vehicle 23 received between supports 14. Also the maneuverability is improved when the housing unit 11 is being driven on the highway due to it being carried in a piggy-back manner instead of being pulled behind the motor vehicle 23. When the mobile housing unit 11 is parked and the floor 36 has been lowered, maximum headroom is achieved since the lower part 35 consisting of two sections is nearly twice the height of the upper part 22' to provide the mobile housing unit 11 in an extended position an interior headroom of nearly 9 feet.

The invention disclosed will have many modifications which will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings of this specification. It is intended that all modifications which fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention be included within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A self-supported mobile housing unit in combination with a conventional automobile for propelling said unit, said mobile housing unit comprising an upper part carried by a framed structure and supported on the ground by at least two supports, and a lower part interconnected with said upper part, said upper part having a stationary upper wall, said lower part comprising at least one upper wall section, one lower wall section and a horizontally extending floor, said one lower wall section connected at one end to said floor, said lower part being vertically moveable from an extended position below said upper part with the floor substantially at ground level to a substantially nested position within said upper part, said wall sections and said floor being maintained in perpendicular relationship during vertical movement, said lower wall section and said one upper wall section vertically moveable from an extended position to a telescopically nested position with said stationary upper wall upon movement of the lower part to a substantially nested position within said upper part, a first opening is provided in said stationary upper wall with said first opening being framed on each side by a fixed door frame member, a second opening is provided in said one upper wall section with said second opening being framed on each side by a first vertically moveable door frame member, and a third opening is provided in said one lower wall section with the third opening being framed by a second vertically moveable door frame member, one end of each of said second vertically moveable door frame member being attached to said floor, said outward facing surfaces of said fixed, first, and second door frame members lying in the same vertical plane, and a lifting mechanism operable to move said lower part from the extended position into a substantially nested position within said upper part, said lower part when in a substantially nested position within said upper part defining an opening in the mobile housing unit below said raised lower part to allow at least a major portion of said automobile to be received underneath said lower part.

2. The self-supported mobile housing unit as described in claim 1 and which is further characterized in that said first door frame member being positioned inwardly of said fixed door frame member in said second opening, said second door frame member being positioned inwardly of said first door frame member in said third opening, said second door frame member, said first door frame member, and said fixed door frame member being in a telescopically nested position within said first opening when said lower part is being moved to a substantially nested position within said first opening when said lower part is being moved to a substantially nested position within said upper part upon actuation of said lifting mechanism.

3. The self-supported mobile housing unit as described in claim 2 and which is further characterized in that a first opening is provided in said stationary upper wall, a second opening is provided in said one upper wall section, and a third opening is provided in said one lower wall section, said first opening, second opening and third opening being in vertical alignment when the lower part is in the extended position to define a continuous opening lying in a vertical plane and extending from the floor in the lower part into said stationary wall in said upper part.

4. The self-supported mobile housing unit as described in claim 3 and which is further characterized in that a door is hingedly attached to one of said fixed door frame members to allow pivotal movement of said door between open and closed positions, said door being vertically moveable from a fully extended position to a telescopically nested position.

5. The self-supported mobile housing unit as described in claim 4 and which is further characterized in that said door comprises a first panel for covering said first opening, a vertically moveable second panel interconnected to said first panel for covering said second opening, and a vertically moveable third panel interconnected to said second panel for covering said openmg.

6. The self-supported mobile housing unit as described in claim 5 and which is further characterized in that, when said door is in a fully extended position, said third panel is vertically moveable to a telescopically nested position within said second panel, and said second panel is vertically moveable to a telescopically nested position within said first panel when said lower part is being moved to a substantially nested position within said upper part upon actuation of said lifting mechanism.

7. The self-supported mobile housing unit of claim 5 and which is further characterized in that, when said door is in a fully extended position, the bottom of said door abuts said floor, said floor upon being raised by actuation of said lifting mechanism causing said third panel to vertically move from an extended position to a telescopically nested position within said second panel and said second panel to vertically move from an extended position to a telescopically nested position within said first panel.

8. The self-supported mobile housing unit of claim 4 which is further characterized in that said door in a fully extended position and in a closed position is lying in one vertical plane and is abutting said outward facing surfaces of said fixed, first, and second door frame members.

Claims

5. The self-supported mobile housing unit as described in claim 4 and which is further characterized in that said door comprises a first panel for covering said first opening, a vertically moveable second panel interconnected to said first panel for covering said second opening, and a vertically moveable third panel interconnected to said second panel for covering said opening.