WO1982003418A1

WO1982003418A1 - A movable building structure

Info

Publication number: WO1982003418A1
Application number: PCT/SE1982/000085
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tell Nico Ab Von; Bo Bengtsson
Original assignee: Tell Nico Ab Von
Priority date: 1981-03-26
Filing date: 1982-03-23
Publication date: 1982-10-14
Also published as: GB2109027A; NL8220082A; SE444198B; NO163068C; NO821011L; GB2109027B; SE8101941L; NO163068B

Abstract

In order to reduce the weight, but nevertheless to obtain a strong building structure, well protected against the influence of the weather, and composed of prismatic room modules (10), channel-formed interconnecting members (24a-d) are welded to mutually adjacent frame beams in the room modules (10), so the latter are united to a monolitic structure. At least two lifting eye structure (26) are welded to vertical interconnecting members (24a) at each end wall side of the structure, and vertical and horizontal reinforcing brackets (27, 28) are fitted at critical intersections.

Description

A MOVABLE BUILDING STRUCTURE

Especially in the off-shore industry there is a need, during longer or shorter periods of time, to provide additional quarters for the staff employed in starting up a project, or to perform major repairs. The use of so called room modules offers great flexibility when providing the required space.

A room module usually has the same dimensions as a standard shipping container, and is sufficiently large to be subdivided into two rooms, each having a toilet space. Hitherto it has been common to arrange a beam frame provided with lifting eyes and of sufficient size to accomodate the required number of modules. The unit thus provided can be lifted directly from a transporting ship to the working platform, or bore-rig. A disadvantage is that the beam frame will have a considerable weight and thus WILL be expensive. Furthermore the modules themselves cannot contribute to the strength of the unit. The weight of the frame will mean an extra load upon the platform, where the room modules will be used. The aim of the present invention is to provide a movable building structure composed of prismatic room modules, which combines high strength with low weight, and simultaneously offers a good weather protection for the walls of modules turned inwards. A building structure according to the invention is characterized in that the modules, which in a manner known per se each comprises a strong beam framing and wall, roof, and floor panels mounted therein, are arranged side by side, that continuous vertical connecting members are welded to adjacent vertical frame side beams in the modules, that horizontal connecting members are welded to adjacent horizontal frame end beams as well as between upper, lower and outer frame side beams, and that at least two lifting eyes are welded to vertical connecting members at each end side of the building structure.

The connecting members are preferably formed as chan- nels which provides a possibility of applying corrosion- preventing treatment to inwardly turned surfaces before a complete sealing is brought about.

Vertically positioned brackets are preferably welded to vertical connecting members at least at some corners between mutually adjacent modules, and horizontally positioned brackets are also welded to horizontal connecting members at least at some corners between mutually adjacent modules . The invention will below be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a room module, Figure 2 shows a detail view at the corners of two mutually adjacent modules, Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a building structure composed of twenty room modules, Figure h is a schematic plan section through a room module, Figure 5 is ^a perspective view of a detail for the attachment of a lifting eye, Figure 6 shows a horizontal section along line VI - VI in Figure 5, Figure shows a detail view of the connection between end frame beams at the modules, and Figure 8 shows a perspective view of an intersection between four module corners.

A building structure of the actual kind is composed of room modules 10, of basically well known type. Such a module comprises a framework 11, preferably of square-section tubing, or angle bars, in which wall panels 12 for longitudi- nal sides, 13 and 14, for roof and bottom, respectively, and 15 for end faces are mounted. The wall panels are preferably formed from corrugated or flanged steel plates, which are welded to the beam framing. Each end face may be provided with a window 16, and in each longitudinal side wall there is a door 17. The internal lay-out of a module may be arranged as shown in Figure 4.

The module has a length of about 10 m, a breadth of about 3 m, and a height of about 2,8 m. It is by two inter- nal partitions 18 adjacent to the doors 17 subdivided into two rooms 19, each having a toiled space 20 with WC and wash basin, as well as a bed 21. Further pieces of furniture are optional. The toilet spaces 20 are interconnec table vertically by way of pipe sockets 22 in the roof and in the floor of the module, when the modules are stacked upon each other.

In a building structure of the kind considered here, which as a rigid unit shall be moved from one place to the other, the room modules must be efficiently interconnected. The principle for the interconnection is schematically shown in Figure 2, which is a detail view of the connection between two mutually adjacent modules 10. In each end face there are vertical beams 23, to which the end wall panels 15, as well as the side wall panels 12 are attached by welding. When two modules are located side by side a clearance will remain between the beams 23, the size of which will depend upon the design of the framing 11. The beams are interconnected by means of channel members 24, which are welded to both beams. It is evident that the beams, as well as the interconnecting member can have other cross sections than those shown in the drawing, but channel shaped members are preferable, as they, in the manner to be explained below, will make it possible to apply anti-rust protection to the inward face of the member after the welding of the same.

The joint shown in Figure 2 will have about the same appearance at horizontal as well as at vertical beams of mutually adjacent modules.

Figure 3 shows a building structure according to the invention composed of twenty room modules, five in a bottom storey, and three storeys on top thereof. The building structure will thus be one module wide only. The doors 17 of the modules in each storey will form an aisle right through the structure. Communication in the vertical direction may be arranged by certain modules being formed as staircases within the building structure, but it is also possible to errect a separate staircase structure, outside the building, as is indicated by broken lines at 25. The building structure rests upon a mounting base 36, in which i.a. supply and drainage conduits from the toilet spaces 20, as well as electric cables and other service connections are arranged. When a mounting base is undesirable the building structure may rest upon a number of- supports, for instance similar to the lifting eyes 26, to be described below, but designed to take care of the expected load.

As mentioned in connection with Figure 2 the individual modules are interconnected by means of channel members

24, which are welded to the frame beams of the modules. Between any two adjacent modules there are thus vertical, continuous members 24a. At top and bottom there are longitudinally extending members 24b. At the longitudinal sides there are horizontal members 24c, and at iiie end faces there are further horizontal interconnecting members 24d. A lifting eye structure 26 (vide also Figure 6) is connected to each of two vertical interconnecting members 24a at each end wall side of the building. The lifting eye structure extends a distance down along the associated interconnecting member, preferably past the first horizontal joint, and may be reinforced in different ways by transverse brackets.

For a lifting operation a so called spreader yoke (not shown) may be used, which makes it possible to apply the lifting force directly vertically at the lifting eyes 26.

Vertical brackets 27 are preferably welded across the joints between superposed modules, and at critical points corresponding horizontal brackets 28 may be fitted. If a spreader yoke is not available suitable reinforcements will have to be provided at the roof of the structure to take care of non-vertical force components in the plane of the roof.

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the attachment of a lifting eye structure 26 to a vertical interconnecting member 24a between two vertical frame beams 23. The lifting eye structure is here reinforced by a horizontal bracket 29. close by top edge, and it is evident that further reinforcing brackets, or doublings at the eye hole 30 itself may be provided. Figure 6 shows a horizontal view along line VI - VI in Figure 5, and Figure 7 shows a joint between arbitrary vertical or horizontal frame beams 23 by means of a channelformed interconnecting member 24a, or 24d , and reinforced by a vertical or horizontal bracket 27 or 28, respectively. Figure 8 shows an intersection between the upper corners of two juxtaposed modules, where the wall panels are removed for the sake of clarity. In each end surface there are thus vertical beams 23. Horizontal beams 31 in the end surfaces are connected thereto, as well as beams 32 in the upper longitudinal sides of the modules. The beams 23 are, as mentioned above, interconnected by a channel member 24a, and the beams 32 are interconnected by a similar member 24b, The tubular beams 23 are closed upwardly and downwardly by welded washers 33, or abutting beams are directly welded to each other. During a late stage of the joining operation the channel members 24a and b are open at the intersections, and it will be possible to introduce a jet nozzle, or by other means distribute a rust-preventing agent, within the channels, that is at the inward surfaces of the channels and adjacent surfaces of the beams, where the welding has been applied.

The horizontal interconnecting members 24d, which cannot be continuous, should preferably be applied before the vertical members 24a, so they can be treated internally before the latter members are attached. At each vertical corner of the building structure, there will initially be openings between juxtaposed horizontal beams 24c and 24d , where internal anti-rust treatment may be applied. The openings are finally closed by means of suitable washers being welded to the channel members.

The embodiments above described and shown in the drawings are examples only of the invention, the details of which may be varied in many ways within the scope of the appended claims. The number of modules within each building structure will have to be selected with due consideration to the capacity of available lifting gear. Depending upon the requirements at the occasional working place all modules may be designed as living quarters, but it is also possible to remove some side wall panels and combine some adjacent modules to an assembly room or a canteen. Due to the fact that the members 24a, b, c and d are welded to the modules, as well as to each other the monolitic building structure will be closed outwardly. The outwardly faces will have to be painted at intervals, but the inwardly facing walls of the modules will be efficiently protected from the influence of the surrounding atmosphere and possible water. It is of course possible to insert packings 35 (Figure 2) between juxtaposed frame beams 23, before the interconnecting members 24 are applied.

Claims

1. A movable building structure composed of prismatic room modules (lθ), c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the modules (10), which in a manner known per se each comprises a strong beam framing (11) and wall, roof, and floor panels (12, 13_. 14) mounted therein, are arranged side by side, that continuous vertical connecting members (24a) are welded to adjacent vertical frame side beams (23) in the modules, that horizontal connecting members (24b, c, d) are welded to adjacent horizontal frame end beams as well as between upper, lower and outer frame side beams, and that at least two lifting eyes (20) are welded to vertical connecting members (24a) at each end side of the building structure.

2. A building structure according to claim 1 , c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the connecting members (24) are formed as channels.

3. A building structure according to either of claims 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by vertically positioned brackets (27) welded to vertical connecting members (24a) at least at some corners between mutually adjacent modules.

4. A building structure according to claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by horizontally positioned brackets (28) welded to horizontal connecting members (24a, b) at least at some corners between mutually adjacent modules.