WO1996030601A1

WO1996030601A1 - Transportable building system incorporating cargo shipping container

Info

Publication number: WO1996030601A1
Application number: PCT/AU1996/000155
Authority: WO
Inventors: Donald Stewart Napier
Original assignee: Napier Modular Housing Pty Ltd.
Priority date: 1995-03-24
Filing date: 1996-03-22
Publication date: 1996-10-03
Also published as: JPH11502909A; AR001422A1; CA2215704A1; EP0817893A4; NZ303106A; CN1183128A; EP0817893A1; TW363646U

Abstract

A transportable building system includes a cargo shipping container (10) and a plurality of components (20, 22) carried in or on the container, or forming part of the container. The components may be rearranged and/or interconnected to provide a structure incorporating the container. These components include structural members (34, 36) adapted to be stored within the container during transport but to be fastened to the container in the erected structure so as to project from the container. The respective structural members when so fastened form load bearing frame components (34, 36) of the structure for supporting further components above the container.

Description

TRANSPORTABLE BUILDING SYSTEM INCORPORATING CARGO SHIPPING CONTAINER

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a transportable building system incorporating one or more cargo shipping containers by which the building components are transported prior to complete . erection. The shipping container may eg be a new purpose built container, or may be a new or prior-used international standard cargo shipping container. The invention has particular though not exclusive application in the delivery and erection of houses or other shelters.

Background Art

It is known to erect a house from a standard cargo shipping container. For example, US patent 4891919 discloses such an arrangement in which the container has hinged walls and floor panels. These panels are unfolded and then the roof and end walls, which have been transported in the container, are removed and assembled to complete the house. Another form of portable shelter utilising a standard cargo shipping container is disclosed in international patent publication W093/20297. In this case, the container proper forms a central zone of the house and further zones are formed along each side of the container by hinging out the floor, roof and end walls. The side wall is hinged in two portions up from the floor. The portable shelter is supported on adjustable jack stands which eliminate the need for a foundation and also provide flexibility for erection of the shelter on hilly, uneven or rocky terrain. US patent 4780996 suggests rigs for raising the side walls of the container. US patent S237784 discloses hinged-out side panels halves coupled to link spaced side-by-side containers. Japanese patent publication (ko ai) 6-73901 discloses the reuse of a single shipping container as a simple dwelling by providing the container with openings for a door and windows, and with a rectangular wooden frame placed atop the container. An outer cladding of wall boards is suspended from the frame about the container, and attached roof trusses support overlaid roofing boards.

US patent 4854094 describes the construction of a house incorporating one or more standard shipping containers, including a two-storey house with one container atop a lower storey formed from two side-by-side containers. Stacked containers are also proposed in German patent application 3208302. There have been a number of proposals for delivering the components of a building as an assembly designed to be handled as if it is a standard cargo shipping container. For example, US patent 5447000 discloses a purpose built frame which includes cargo container corner fittings and houses various panel components configurable on site to form a structure. US patent 4467573 discloses a package of components for an industry hall in which all parts of the building are retained within the dimensions of an international standard cargo shipping container and in which the roof support beams are arranged and interconnected to form the long sides of the container.

US Patent 4635412 proposes a core with complex fold-out side walls having multiple hinged panels and a hingedly extendable central roof structure. The various external structural components are stored within a container envelope but they are moved to their permanent position in a complex hinging action. The core structural component is a "ladder girder". US Patent 4741133, and also German utility model publication 8812285, both show a container-like frame with panel sides which expand or fold out in an "accordion-like fashion".

US Patent 3984948 to Bussard, has a "container form" made up of rectangular components which hinge out to create a cabin structure having an irregular hexagonal cross-section.

Australian patent application 71019/87 discloses a demountable building assembly including a wall and roof panel assembly securable to a floor assembly which is adaptable to form one or more transportable containers, so that all the panels are stored in the containers) during transport of the demountable building assembly.

Other background art includes German patent applications 2519841 and 1953109, both describing a shelter within a module designed as a shipping container, British patent

2264470 (fitted out mobile laundry) German patent application 3302045 (modular motel unit), US patent 5285604 (field kitchen), and published French patent application 2441703. In general these systems are either too simple and not readily adaptable to larger structures, or, in contrast, are of complex or expensive construction, or are not suitable for easy erection on site by unskilled labour, or involve site requirements, eg power or tooling, which may not be readily available. These difficulties would particularly limit the application of prior systems where infrastructure was poorly developed or non-existent. The present applicant is not aware of any commercial system for delivering buildings such as shelters and houses in cargo shipping containers so that all or many parts of the building are pre-manufactured and the building can be readily erected from and includes the container on site. Such a system would be very beneficial, in specially adapted embodiments, for providing houses or shelters in remote or less developed areas, or in locations where building skills, tools or materials are not easily available. Transportable buildings of this type would also be very useful in providing quick shelter after natural disasters such as cyclones and earthquakes.

One aspect of erecting a house which incorporates a standard cargo shipping container is the provision of an internal dwelling standard lining for the walls of the container. It is not practical in general to mount wallboard directly to the internal surface of pre-used shipping containers since these surfaces tend to be somewhat dinted, uneven and damaged. One approach is to build an internal cavity wall with studs and some form of wallboard along each side of the container. This approach also establishes a cavity for plumbing and wiring. However, the installation of studs and the packing of the resultant sub-frame to allow for container wall irregularities is relatively labour-intensive and this approach therefore tends to negate some of the benefits sought by pre-manufacture of container-based housing.

Summary of the Invention

It is a general object of the invention to provide improvements in transportable building systems of the kind in which the erected structure incorporates one or more cargo shipping containers by which components of the structure are transported prior to complete erection.

In a particular aspect, the invention is directed to providing for the internal lining of a container in a manner which has application to cargo shipping containers, or to containers of a similar order and size, and which may therefore be applied to transportable building systems incorporating one or more shipping containers by which the building components are transported prior to complete erection.

In a first aspect, the invention provides a transportable building system including a cargo shipping container and a plurality of components carried in or on the container, or forming part of the container. These components may be rearranged and/or interconnected to provide a structure incorporating the container. The components include structural members adapted to be stored within the container during transport but to be fastened to the container in the erected structure so as to project from the container. The respective structural members when so fastened form load bearing frame components of the structure for supporting further components above the container. These structural members preferably extend adjacent a side wall or respective side walls of the container and are preferably uprights of a frame in the erected structure, eg. posts in the structure, but may alternatively be or include structural panels.

A system according to the invention is adaptable in a preferred application to provide a complete house erected on site from the container and components transported to the site in the container. Such a container and its contents may constitute the whole house. The structural members may be fastened to the container by being attached to its side wall(s), and/or, preferably, there may be further elongate upright members disposed within and fixed to the container, and to which the structural members are respectively attached, eg with the container wall or cladding between. In a preferred arrangement, the structural members are posts. In the case where there are internal further elongate upright members, these posts may serve as vertical extensions of the elongate upright members, thereby forming composite posts of a frame for the erected structure, the respective members having registrable apertures by which they may be fastened together side-by-side to form such composite posts, preferably with the structural member posts at the exterior of the container. Alternatively, for example, the structural members may be received into and located in sleeves, brackets or straps attached to the container, or may telescopically engage matching posts adapted to be fixed to the container.

The posts may define sets of opposed channel tracks to receive panels serving as external cladding for the container and/or as walls of the structure.

The posts are preferably checked or rebated about one or more selected components of the container so that there is partial direct vertical load support by the component(s).

Preferably, a floor frame for an upper storey is supported from said structural members above the container, and, preferably, is not attached directly to the container. A space may be provided between the top of the container and this floor frame, to serve as a cavity for services, eg electrical wiring and plumbing, which may be installed prior to transport or on site. In some cases, eg. where the container was to be moved only by truck relatively locally or at least only by land, this space, and the space above the floor, could be used to transport constructional . material, eg when overhead clearance requirements during transport allowed this option.

In turn, the floor frame is preferably utilised for the attachment of wall stud components for supporting internal and/or external cladding for the container eg in the region of removed cargo doors of the container. The invention also provides, in a second aspect, a method of erecting a structure, including preparing a plurality of components of the structure at a first site. The components are placed in or on a cargo shipping container and the container is transported to a second site. The components are then rearranged and/or interconnected to provide the structure at the second site, which structure incorporates the container. The components include structural members stored within the container during transporting of the container but fastened to the container in the erected structure so as to extend adjacent a side wall or respective side walls of the container and to project from the container, the respective structural members when so fastened forming load bearing frame components of the structure for supporting further components above the container.

The invention further provides, in a third aspect, a transportable building system comprising a cargo shipping container and a plurality of components carried in or on the container, or forming part of the container, which components may be rearranged or interconnected to provide a structure incorporating the container, wherein said container houses a bathroom unit adapted to form a bathroom in the erected structure.

Preferably, the bathroom unit is dimensional, and may be mounted to the container, whereby a space is formed or may be formed under or over the bathroom unit to receive frame members for the structure disposed longitudinally in the container. The unit may be moveable in the container to form, move or vary this space. The bathroom unit preferably includes a unitary moulded structure defining at least a floor or base and optionally a shower recess and/or bath, and all or part of side walls. One or more of a toilet bowl, bidet, cistern, vanity unit and plumbing fittings may be included. The remainder of the side walls may be separately carried in the container for attachment on site, and/or may be detachable to allow for the aforementioned space under or over the bathroom unit.

In a fourth aspect, the invention provides a method of providing an internal lining for a container having an opening to the exterior, including:

• fitting a facing material about an expanded but contractible body of a size a little smaller than an interior space of the container; • inserted the body fitted with the facing material through said opening into said space, whereby the facing material is disposed adjacent one or more walls of the container bounding said space, and defines with the wall(s) one or more peripheral cavities;

• injecting a foam into said peripheral cavity(ies), which foam is selected to adhere to the facing material; and • contracting said body away from the facing material and withdrawing the body from the container through said opening;

• whereby the foam and the overlying facing material remain in place as an internal lining of the container. The contractible body is preferably a hingedly collapsible frame of steel and/or timber frame components, with a peripheral support structure for the facing material. The support structure may include an external lining for the frame of steel plate or timber panel, for example plywood.

The facing material is preferably a thin flexible medium such as vinyl sheet or paper. The foam is preferably an expanding foam and may be injected into the peripheral cavity(ies) through purpose provided ports in the container wall(s), which are subsequently plugged following completion of injection.

The invention further provides, in its fourth aspect, a container, for example a cargo shipping container, fitted with a complete or partial internal lining comprising a foam overlaid with a facing material.

In its fourth aspect, the invention further provides a contractible body dimensioned to be inserted into an interior space of a container having an opening to the exterior, while fully expanded and fitted about with a facing material, whereby the facing material is disposed adjacent one or more walls of the container bounding said space, and defines with the wall(s) one or more peripheral cavities, which body is subsequently contractible away from the facing material for withdrawal from the container through said opening.

Again, the contractible body is preferably a hingedly collapsible frame of steel and/or timber frame components, with a peripheral support structure for the facing material. The support structure may include an external lining for the frame of steel plate or timber panel, for example plywood.

In the fourth aspect of the invention, the container may be a cargo shipping container.

In some embodiments of all four of the abovementioned aspects of the invention, the cargo shipping container is an international standard cargo shipping container including a load bearing frame and floor, wall and roof panels. The aforementioned interior elongate members would normally be additional to the standard frame of the container and there may be still further additional elongate members disposed in the longitudinal direction of the container. As an international standard cargo shipping container, the container would have the usual cast steel corner fittings by which the container could be stacked for shipping or storage. By international standard cargo shipping containers is meant that the container meets International Shipping Organisation (ISO) requirements for the International Convention for Safe Containers (CSC) and the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). These standards include requirements for the size and strength of containers: suitable sized containers for the present purpose would be those referred to as 20 ft and 40 ft containers. The frame system of such containers is a welded assembly of fixed structural steel members and the cladding is typically corrugated sheet steel panels. As a standard cargo shipping container, it can be lifted with a crane or forklift as it would normally include forklift pockets.

In another embodiment, the container may comply with international standards save that elements of the structure may protrude. Such embodiments would be able to be used for domestic purposes and would then need to meet standard road dimensional regulations, which are typically wider and higher than for the international standard cargo shipping containers.

In a still further alternative, the cargo shipping container is a purpose built one-way container and differs in significant respects from ISO standards. For example, instead of corrugated 2 mm gauge steel panels, it may be built in 4 mm flat steel. This would add to the weight of the container but the typical load weight of the components for a house (perhaps around 6 tonne) would be less than the conventional load weight of ISO containers (eg 20 to 22 tonnes for 20 ft containers), and thus the convenience of flat rather than corrugated steel walls could be accommodated within an increase in the container weight. A single cargo access door may open up instead of out to serve, eg, as a verandah or porch roof and/or as a water tank stand.

The container may or may not include the usual cargo access doors at one or both ends during transport. If provided, the door(s) are preferably mounted so they can be detached from the hinges, but preferably only from inside the container, thus first requiring access by unlocking and opening of the doors. Components may be provided for enclosing the hinges in segments of cavity wall. .Alternatively, the doors may be removable with the hinge fittings, but the former option is more practicable with existing containers.

The container preferably includes openings in its side or end walls, advantageously defined by surrounding frame members incorporated in the container structure. Preferably, these openings are closed during transport by removable panel sections. These sections are preferably only removable from inside the container.

For additional structural stability, the erected structure may be fastened down to concrete pads or footings, including where desired fastenings such as, eg, cyclonic tie-down rods to additionally anchor the lower corner fittings to the pads or footings. Normally all posts of a structure require tie-down footings but, in this case, tie-downs may be confined to the container corners and to outer perimeter posts.

In a fifth aspect, the invention provides a wheeled transport device for a cargo shipping container comprising a ground wheel, means to rotatably mount the ground wheel, and means to detachably mount the device to a standard comer fitting of a cargo shipping container. In this further aspect, the invention also extends to a cargo shipping container fitted with four of the aforesaid devices at respective corners. Advantageously, the container is a cargo shipping container of a transportable building system according to one or more of the other aspects of the invention. Brief Description of the Drawings

Various preferred features and embodiments of the invention will now be described in greater detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a simple transparent isometric diagram of a transportable building system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, shown in its transport condition; Figure 2 is a cross-section of the container as viewed in Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is an isometric diagram of the container, with the top cladding removed for illustrative purposes, showing the added internal post and beam arrangement;

Figure 4 is a simple diagram of part of a partially erected structure incorporating a cargo shipping container, showing the mounting of load-bearing frame members of the structure; Figure 5 is a three-dimensional view of a partially erected structure, also showing tie- downs to foundation pads;

Figure 6 is an isometric view of the frame and roof of a partially erected structure incorporating a pair of 20 ft international standard cargo shipping containers;

Figures 7 and 8 are views of respective alternative arrangements for mounting load bearing posts of the frame to the container;

Figure 9 is an enlargement of part of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is another detail, in isometric view, of an embodiment incorporating the post arrangement of Figure 7;

Figures 11 and 12 are respectively front elevational and plan views of an opening in a side wall of the container;

Figure 13 is a view similar to Figure 12 but showing the opening closed by a removable panel; Figure 14 is a side view of container depicting the retention in position of a cut-out side wall segment;

Figure 15 is an enlarged sectional view corresponding to part of Figure 14, but illustrating the formation of the cut; Figure 16 and 17 are diagrams depicting an arrangement for providing internal wall and ceiling frames for the container,

Figures 18 and 19 are respective front and side elevations of a wheeled transport device of a type suitable for use with a cargo shipping container,

Figure 20 is a transparent three-dimensional diagram of the device of Figures 18 and 19 fitted to a shipping container;

Figure 21 depicts the use of the device for transporting a shipping container, eg a transportable building system according to other aspects of the invention;

Figure 22 is an isometric diagrammatic view of an initial stage in the provision of an internal lining for a cargo shipping container in accordance with an embodiment of the fourth aspect of the invention, and also shows the principal components used; and

Figures 23 and 24 depict two subsequent stages.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

Figures 1 and 2 depict an international standard cargo shipping container 10, typically 20 ft long, with corrugated metal panel cladding as side walls 11, a floor structure 13 including a bottom rail 1 lb made up of an I-section or tubular bearer for the floor joists (not shown), and a roof 17 between a rectangular tube top rails 11a.. The container is further fitted with standard cast corner fittings 12 engageable to manipulate the container, a pair of cargo access doors 14 at one or both ends of the container, and forklift slots 70 in the contained floor structure 13. Fittings 12 are often referred to as "corner castings" and facilitate stacking, and handling of the container.

Disposed within one end of the container is a prefabricated bathroom unit 16 which is dimensioned and located so that it may be lifted to provide a storage space 18 underneath.

Also carried within the container are pre-prepared, eg pre-cut, components of the structure to be erected from and including the container. These components include elongate frame members 20, eg posts 30 and structural members such as posts 34,36, and cladding and roofing panels such as corrugated metal sheets 22. Frame members 20 may be eg timber beams, square metal tubes, C or H section steel beams or otherwise as desired. The longer of the frame members, for example horizontal beams of a subsequent frame or central ridge posts to support the subsequent roof, would typically extend into space 18. Other components such as windows, doors, roof trusses and the like may also be stored within the container. Such components might include a collapsible water tank made in a plastics or rubber material. This tank could be inflated with air to take up any slack within the container and to thereby clamp the other components and minimise or prevent their movement in transit.

Conveniently, the stored components of the structure are retained in the container on pallets 21 by which the components may be placed on and extracted from the container. If desired, the longer frame members may be placed in the floor under the pallets.

The bathroom unit 16 includes, inter alia and optionally, a toilet and cistern unit 24 and a vanity unit 26. The bathroom unit is preferably an integral housing in flbreglass reinforced plastic defining side walls 28 and end wall 29 and a floor 27.

Container 10 would typically also include internal linings, fittings and windows so that it constituted a pre-fabricated living space ready or partially ready for occupation. In one approach, (Figures 16 and 17), pre-fabricated side wall modules 140 include frame structures and pre-fitted plumbing and wiring, and support in the container a ceiling module 142 which fits atop and is supported by the wall modules at each side. These wall modules are closely adjacent to the side walls of the container, as clearly seen in Figure 17.

The container may be an existing cargo shipping container converted for the present purpose, for example one nearing the end of its useful life, or it may be a new container manufactured for this purpose but so as to meet international cargo shipping container standards. In other embodiments, the container might not meet international standards but would preferably at least satisfy domestic road transport requirements.

When the shipping container 10 reaches the site at which the structure is to be erected, which site may be, for example, on an island several thousands kilometres from the factory site in which the components of the system are prepared and loaded into the container, structures such as those shown partially completed in Figures 4 and 7 may be readily formed from the pre-prepared components provided within the container. One arrangement for mounting the structural frame to the container is depicted in Figures 3 and 4. Interior posts 30 fixed, eg by screws, wedging, adhesive or welding, to the container side wall cladding are disposed at spaced intervals on the inside of the container and are in turn interconnected in the top comers of the container by longitudinally extending beams 32. These beams 32 serve as lintels where openings are formed, as described later. At the erection site, structural members such as ridge posts 34 and perimeter posts 36 are fastened in pairs adjacent respective complementary interior posts 30 by bolting the posts together at spaced registered apertures 38 with appropriate fasteners 39. Posts 34, 36 lie on the outside of the container, but the container cladding is located between the posts of each pair. To avoid drilling on site, apertures would typically be pre-formed in the posts and in the container cladding or other components.

These arrangements provide composite posts 45 for the resultant frame 40, which may be completed with other frame members such as upper horizontal beams 41 (Figure 5) and roof trusses or rafters 42 (Figure 4). The frame 40 supports and defines a lower storey 40a incorporating container 10 and an upper storey 40b above the container. The frame need not be provided with stumps, footings or foundation pads but these can of course be included if desired, as shown in Figure 5. This drawing shows foundation pads 80 with tie- downs 82 for the respective bottom corner fittings 12. Figure 6 illustrates a simple building frame in which a multiplicity of posts 34,36 are secured to a pair of spaced standard cargo shipping containers 10a, 10b. These posts, and the panels of the roof cladding 44, have of course been retrieved from the interiors of the containers on site.

Posts 34,36 may, for example, be timber beams or square tubular steel posts, or of any other suitable form.

Figure 7 details an engagement between a timber post 34' and a typical container with lighter gauge corrugated steel side cladding 11' and heavier gauge top and bottom rails 1 la, 1 lb of rectangular-tube steel. As already noted, bottom rails l ib may be I-section beams. The post is preferably checked or rebated at 90,92 about the top rail 11a' and at the top edge of bottom rail 1 lb', and is bolted to the cladding and to a complementary interior post 30 (not visible in Figure 7) at spaced locations 38'. Rebates 90,92 ensure that the post is flush against the cladding and provide for the posts to partially seat on the rails 11a', l ib' and thus for the structural load to be at least partially supported vertically on these rails.

In general, it may not be strictly necessary to provide interior posts 30 with each structural post 34,36. The steel walls of ISO containers are believed to generally be sufficiently structurally strong for posts 34,36 to be simply bolted to the walls of the container. In such a simplified arrangement, the nuts for the respective bolts would conveniently be welded into position on the container walls about pre-cut holes for the bolts. An inside frame would typically still be provided to support interior lining. Timber posts would preferably include longitudinally extending grooves 35 (Figure 7) to slidably receive cladding sheets, eg wallboard, profiled panelling, kraft board, for facing the container, and cladding or lining the structure.

In a further embodiment, the posts may be C-, H- or channel section steel posts defining opposed channel tracks to receive panels to provide external cladding for the container and or walls, external or internal, for the upper storey or extended areas of the lower storey. Such panels would preferably be of light-weight material and would typically be stored in the container during transport.

With either of these adaptations, it can be seen that suitably pre-dimensioned posts 34,36 and associated slidably mounted sheets or panels carried in the container can be employed to enclose or effectively wrap up the container within a structure on site, using pre¬ fabricated components and very simple procedures, and without any need on site to drill the thick steel typical of the container or to use either skilled labour or special tools.

A further alternative to the post fixing arrangement of Figures 3 to 5 and that of Figure 7 is depicted in Figure 8 and 9. In this arrangement, interior posts 30" are square tubes and the external projecting frame components 34" ,36" telescopically engage, and are fastened to, tubes 30". Of course, posts 30 might be instead received by posts 34,36. Instead of tubes 30", posts 34", 36" might alternatively engage matching sleeves, brackets or straps on the container.

Posts 34,36 may also advantageously support a frame for the upper storey floor, independently of and clear of the container. This feature is depicted in Figure 10, in which a timber bearer 102 of the upper storey floor frame 100 is checked into and fastened to a transverse groove 104 of each of several posts 34,36: one only such mounting is illustrated.

The floor joists 106 are in turn secured to the bearers. The weight of bearers 102 and joists

106 is not directly borne by the top of container 10 and indeed the shallow space 108 between the joists and container roof 17 can be used as a cavity for services, eg electrical wiring and plumbing, which may be installed prior to transport or on site. In some cases this space, and the space above the floor, could be used to transport constructional materials, eg when overhead clearance requirements during transport allowed this option.

The avoidance of any need to directly attach the upper storey floor frame to the container avoids any requirement to weld or drill the container on site for this purpose, an important practical point.

In the embodiment of Figure 10, the upper storey floor frame 100 may be employed to brace and straighten the roof panel of the underlying container. For example, one or more longitudinally extending battens (not shown) may be placed under joists 106 between and parallel to bearers 102. There is a residual gap between the container roof and the joists because corner fittings 12' protrude above the roof, and the batten thickness would be chosen to neatly fit this gap. The roof ρanel(s) of the container is then fastened, eg with nails, to this batten, and through the batten to the joists. Such an arrangement is a simple and effective way of fixing and flattening the container roof, which is often rather battered, warped or caved in after prolonged use of a shipping container. Typically, provision will have been made in the container for one or more openings in the side walls of the container. This can be effected in the manner shown in Figures 11-13, in which the side cladding 11 and frame of the container has been removed between the floor and roof of the container to define an opening 50. The opening is defined and reinforced by a surrounding frame formed by respective ones 30a, 30b of the interior posts 30, bottom rail 1 lb, and a portion of one of the longitudinally extending top rails 1 la which here in part provides a lintel 32a for the opening (Figure 11). Opening 50 may incorporate a window or door or may be designed for this purpose. For transport, the opening is closed by a removable corrugated metal panel 54 (Figure 13) fastened to posts 30a, 30b and or to the container wall, preferably using a concealed fixing to prevent tampering. On erection of a structure on site, this panel 54 is removed and the exterior frame support posts 34,36 fastened into place (Figure 12).

Panel 54 may be attached to the container cladding 11 by multiple angular joining plates 56 which are welded or otherwise fixed to cladding 11 at 57 (Figure 13) and attached to panel 54 by fasteners 58 which can only be removed from the inside of the container. This reduces the risk that the container contents will be interfered with during transit by removal of panel 54. Joining plates 56 can be also removed on site if necessary.

A method of forming opening 50 at the factory site, without removing the cut-out panel segment, is illustrated in Figures 14 and 15. The intended line of cut is first covered, on at least two sides of the opening, with a linear cap 130 which is pop-riveted at 132 at regular intervals along each side of the line of cut. The container metal cladding is then cut through but the tool (135) setting is finely set so that the cap 130 is not cut. A separate panel 136 remains in place, retained by the riveted cap. Importantly, the cut-out panel remains accurately in position, and the problem of aligning a removed panel segment is eliminated. The cut is now filled with sealant, eg a suitable silicone compound, and the factory task is complete. At the erection site, an appropriate simple tool can be used to break all of the pop rivets 132 and thereby remove cap 130 and panel 136 to clear the opening. Along the bottom of the opening the cut may be conveniently located a little above the floor level, as at 51 in Figures 11 and 14, and a step down from eg. a wet arfta floor, thereby provided. As mentioned, international standard cargo shipping containers typically include a pair of cargo access doors 14, with a customs seal arrangement, forming one end of the container. These doors may be removed at the factory and replaced with an end panel but this may not always be practical and indeed will not be permissible where the system is to be transported as an international standard cargo shipping container. Replacement of the doors may in part be impractical because the hinge mechanism is a welded section and cannot be easily and economically removed. To allow replacement of the doors on site, where heavy cutting equipment may not be available, the welded attachment of the doors to their hinges may be cut away, the parts re-drilled and the welds replaced by removable bolts. The doors may then be detached on site by removal of these bolts whereupon hinge fittings 65' remain in position on the container (Figure 10). Rather than attempting the difficult task of removing these hinge fittings, a cavity wall segment 120 is provided to enclose and hide both binge fittings 65' and corner fittings 12'. Segment 120 comprises wall studs 122 fastened between an overlying bearer 102 and floor joist 106 of the upper storey floor frame 100, and a bottom rail 124 clamped into the bottom edge of the door opening 63. External 126 and internal panels are fixed to wall studs 122 to cover over hinge fittings 65' and corner fittings 12'. A window or door frame can of course be readily fitted into the residual opening defined by joist 106, rail 124 and peripheral wall studs 122a. This is more practicable on site than attempting to fix the door or window frame to the heavy gauge steel of the top and bottom rails 1 la, 1 lb.

In another variation, posts 34,36 may be replaced by or include structural panels for attachment to the container, to serve as cladding for the container and/or to provide walls and a structural frame for the rest of the structure.

In cases where the container height is significantly less than the road transport height limit, the space above the container, or above the floor frame 100 where this is fitted, can be used to store further materials while in transit. For this purpose, shorter posts similar to posts 34,36 can be similarly attached to the outside of the container and used to mount restraints about the space above the container. These might already carry an upper storey floor frame and might be extendible on site by extension posts rather than replaced by full length posts.

Cargo shipping container 10 may be transported in a conventional manner, eg by ship, truck or train, and manipulated with cranes or forklifts. In some applications, however, it may be desirable to be able to move the container without these aids, eg at a remote site or on an island with limited facilities for land transport. Figures 18 to 20 depict a wheeled device 150 which may be detachably fitted to each of the four corners of a cargo shipping container so that it may be moved along the ground, eg by human effort or by being towed with a small truck as depicted in Figure 21. When the desired position is reached, a simple truck jack will be sufficient to lift the container for extraction of the wheeled devices. Device 150 includes side-flanged head 152 with a depending mast 154 outturned at its bottom end to provide a stub-axle 156 with a bearing for a ground wheel 158, typically a conventional heavy-duty pneumatically tyred vehicle wheel. Mast 154 is two-part as shown to allow the wheel and axle to pivot about a vertical axis. Head 152 is dimensioned to fit snugly about one side 12a of one of the container comer fittings 12 (Figure 21), and includes a fastening mechanism 160 to engage the conventional vertically oblong aperture 162 of corner fitting 12. Mechanism 160 is a two-segment oblong steel and tubular shaped 15

device, which fits within aperture 162 and has a swivel head 161. When turned to the position shown in Figures 18 and 20 head 161 is angular in shape and becomes tightened with a quarter turn. Because the flanges 153 of head 152 lap around the edges of the corner fitting, no movement is normally possible during transit. In alternative arrangements, axle 156 may protrude directly horizontally from aperture 162, or be attached under the container.

An embodiment of the fourth aspect of the invention will now be described, with reference to Figures 22 to 24.

In Figure 22, there is illustrated an international standard cargo shipping container 210 including side walls 212, 213, a roof 214, and a base 216 with forklift slots 217. The container carries the usual cast steel corner fittings 218 by which the container may be stacked with other similar containers or engaged for lifting or transportation purposes. One or both ends of the container originally included a pair of openable doors which define an end opening 219 of given peripheral dimension, but the doors have been removed for conversion of the container for use in a pre-manufactured transportable building system such as that disclosed above.

The sides 212, 213 and roof 214 of the container are to be provided with an internal lining in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Apart from a foam pump 220 and flexible delivery hoses 222 for delivering and injecting an expandable polyurethane foam, the principal working tool comprises a contractible body or form 230 comprising an externally lined frame 231. The frame 231 is formed of elongated steel components 232 arranged to define a parallelepiped structure of dimensions just small enough to fit through end opening 219 of container 210 and to then sit snugly within the container between this end opening and the opposite end of the container. Frame 231 is a series of square rings of components 232 hinged in the corners at 240 and at the mid-point 242 of the uprights and of the roof components, so as to be inwardly contractible by inward folding along the hinge lines in the manner depicted in figures 23 and 24. This frame 231 is externally lined with panels or plates 234 of timber, eg plywood, steel or aluminium, with opposed edges of the panels at hinge lines 242 being rebated at 236 to accommodate the inward folding of the panels as the frame is contracted.

Form 230 is prepared for its role by a wrapping the top and side panels 234 with a facing material in the form of vinyl or paper sheet 250 firmly fastened flat to the panels. This facing material 250 is in due course the exposed component of the container lining and is therefore chosen with this in mind. Facing material 250 would typically be taped onto panels plates 234. Form 230 is fully expanded to its rectangular condition and may be locked in place, eg, by temporary pole supports 238, such as removable and/or hydraulic rams or props which may be permanently in situ and utilised by extension to expand the frame 231. The expanded and wrapped form is inserted through container opening 219 and pushed on base wheels 239 wholly into the cleared interior space of the container. Because of the choice of the relative dimensions of form 230, facing material 250 is thereby disposed adjacent the walls of the container and defines with the walls one or more peripheral cavities (not specifically identified). The ends of these cavities adjacent container end-opening 219 are sealed by peripheral elongate rubber flaps 265 carried at the end of form 230. The cavities should preferably be around 50mm in transverse depth, or more generally 25 to 75 mm.

When the wrapped form 230 with its facing material 250 is fully home, the delivery hoses 222 of the foam system are fitted to respective delivery ports 260 in the side walls and roof of the container. Expanding foam, eg a suitable polyurethane foam, is injected through these hoses into the peripheral cavities between the facing material 250 and the internal surfaces of the container. The foam is selected to adhere to the facing material. When injection is completed, the rams or props 239 are withdrawn or retracted so as to allow form 232 to contract away from the facing material, which remains adhered to the foam surface. The form 230 can then be withdrawn out of the container for indefinite re- wrapping and re-use to line a further container. Container 210 is left with an internal foam- based vinyl-or paper-faced lining 250'.

Where services are required, eg power, water or gas, the necessary pipes and wiring can be installed on the interior wall of the container before insertion of the lining form 10 and the foam is then simply filled about the services. It will of course be appreciated that more than three ports may be required for foam injection, especially where pipes or other services partially obstruct the cavity between the container wall and the facing material. The injection ports 260 will normally be plugged, eg with silicone, after injection of the foam has been completed and the delivery hoses detached.

The foam serves a Useful heat insulation function for the container, and may also be useful in sealing other openings or breaks in the container walls. It will also be understood that where the term "comprises" or its grammatical variants, is employed herein, equivalent to the term "includes" and is not to be taken as excluding the presence of other elements or features.

In some of the attached drawings, the containers) and other components are shown in simplified diagrammatic form for ease of illustration.

Claims

1. A transportable building system including a cargo shipping container and a plurality of components carried in or on the container, or forming part of the container, which components may be rearranged and/or interconnected to provide a structure incorporating the container, wherein said components include structural members adapted to be stored within the container during transport but to be fastened to said container in the erected structure so as to project from the container, the respective structural members when so fastened forming load bearing frame components of the structure for supporting further components above the container.

2. A transportable building system according to claim 1 wherein said structural members extend adjacent a side wall or respective side walls of the container.

3. A transportable building system according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said structural members are uprights of a frame in the erected structure.

4. A transportable building system according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said structural members are posts in the erected structure.

5. A transportable building system according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said structural members are or include structural panels.

6. A transportable building system according to any preceding claim wherein the erected structure is a house.

7. A transportable building system according to any preceding claim wherein the structural members are fastened to the container by being attached to its side wall(s).

8. A transportable building system according to any preceding claim including elongate upright members disposed within and fixed to the container, and to which the structural members are respectively attached.

9. A transportable building system according to claim 8 wherein a respective side wall of the container is disposed between said structural members and said elongate upright members.

10. A transportable building system according to claim 8 or 9 wherein said structural members are posts that serve as vertical extensions of said elongate upright members, thereby forming composite posts of a frame for the erected structure.

11. A transportable building system according to claim 10 wherein the respective members have registrable apertures by which they may be fastened together side- by-side to form said composite posts.

12. A transportable building system according to claim 11 wherein the structural member posts are at the exterior of the container.

13. A transportable building system according to any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the structural members are received into and located in sleeves, brackets or straps attached to the container.

14. A transportable building system according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the structural members telescopically engage matching posts adapted to be fixed to the container.

15. A transportable building system according to any preceding claim wherein the structural members are posts and define sets of opposed channel tracks to receive panels serving as external cladding for the container and/or as walls of the structure.

16. A transportable building system according to a preceding claim wherein the structural members are checked or rebated about one or more selected components of the container so that there is partial direct vertical load support by the component(s).

17. A transportable building system according to any preceding claim, further including a floor and/or a floor frame for an upper storey supported from said structural members above the container.

18. A transportable building system according to claim 17 wherein a space is provided between the top of the container and said floor frame, to serve as a cavity for services installed prior to transport or on site.

19. A transportable building system according to claim 17 or 18 wherein said floor frame is utilised for the attachment of wall stud components for supporting internal and/or external cladding for the container.

20. A transportable building system according to any preceding claim wherein said components further include wall modules and a ceiling module for the interior of the container, the ceiling module being supported by the wall modules.

21. A transportable building system including a cargo shipping container and a plurality of components carried in or on the container, or forming part of the container, which components may be rearranged and/or interconnected to provide a structure incorporating the container, wherein said container houses a bathroom unit adapted to form a bathroom in the erected structure.

22. A transportable building system according to claim 21 wherein the bathroom unit is dimensioned, and is mounted to the container, whereby a space is formed under or over the bathroom unit to receive frame members for the structure disposed longitudinally in the container.

23. A transportable building system according to claim 21 or 22 wherein the bathroom unit includes a unitary moulded structure defining at least a floor or base and optionally a shower recess and/or bath, and all or part of side walls.

24. A transportable building system according to any preceding claim wherein the cargo shipping container is an international standard cargo shipping container including a floor, wall and roof panels, and corner fittings to facilitate stacking and handling of the container.

25. A transportable building system according to any preceding claim, including one or more door(s) mounted so they can be detached from the hinges, but preferably only from inside the container, thus first requiring access by unlocking and opening of the doors.

26. A transportable building system according to claim 25 further including components for enclosing the hinges in segments of cavity wall.

27. A transportable building system according to any preceding claim wherein the container includes openings in its side or end walls which are closed during transport by removable panel sections.

28. A transportable building system according to claim 27 wherein the said sections are only removable from inside the container.

29. A wheeled transport device for a cargo shipping container including a ground wheel, means to rotatably mount the ground wheel, and means to detachably mount the device to a standard corner fitting of a cargo shipping container.

30. A method of erecting a structure, including preparing a plurality of components of the structure at a first site; placing said components in or on a cargo shipping container and transporting the container to a second site; rearranging and or interconnecting the components to provide said structure at said second site, which structure incorporates the container; wherein said components include structural members stored within the container during said transporting of the container but fastened to said container in the erected structure so as to extend adjacent a side wall or respective side walls of the container and to project from the container, the respective structural members when s so fastened forming load bearing frame components of the structure for supporting further components above the container.

31. A method according to claim 30 further including forming an opening in a panel of the container by fastening a linear cap over a line of cut for the opening and cutting the panel along or adjacent the line so as not to cut through the cap, which hereby 0 retains the cut out panel segment in place until removed.

32. A structure erected by the method according to claim 30 or 31.

33. A method of providing an internal lining for a container having an opening to the exterior, including:

• fitting a facing material about an expanded but contractible body of a size a 15 little smaller than an interior space of the container;

• inserting the body fitted with the facing material through said opening into said space, whereby the facing material is disposed adjacent one or more walls of the container bounding said space, and defines with the wall(s) one or more peripheral cavities;

20 • injecting a foam into said peripheral cavity(ies), which foam is selected to adhere to the facing material: and

• contracting said body away from the facing material and withdrawing the body from the container through said opening;

• whereby the foam and the overlying facing material remain in place as an 25 internal lining of the container.

34. A method according to claim 33 wherein said contractible body is a hingedly collapsible frame of steel and/or timber frame components, with a peripheral support structure for the facing material.

35. A method according to claim 34 wherein said support structure includes an external 30 lining for the frame of steel plate or timber panel.

36. A method according to claim 33, 34 or 35 wherein said facing material is a thin flexible medium.

37. A method according to any one of claims 33 to 36 wherein said foam is an expanding foam injected into the peripheral cavity(ies) through purpose provided ports in the container wall(s), which are subsequently plugged following completion of injection.

38. A container fitted with a complete or partial internal lining comprising a foam overlaid with a facing material. s

39. A container according to claim 38 wherein said container is a cargo shipping container.

40. A contractible body dimensioned to be inserted into an interior space of a container having an opening to the exterior, while fully expanded and fitted about with a facing material, whereby the facing material is disposed adjacent one or more walls o of the container bounding said space, and defines with the wall(s) one or more peripheral cavities, which body is subsequently contractible away from the facing material for withdrawal from the container through said opening.

41. A contractible body according to claim 40 wherein said contractible body is a hingedly collapsible frame of steel and/or timber frame components, with a is peripheral support structure for the facing material.

42. A contractible body according to claim 40 or 41 wherein said container is a cargo shipping container.