WO2004094751A2

WO2004094751A2 - On-site shelter production facility

Info

Publication number: WO2004094751A2
Application number: PCT/GB2004/001591
Authority: WO
Inventors: Timothy Ernest Edward King
Original assignee: Timothy Ernest Edward King
Priority date: 2003-04-24
Filing date: 2004-04-14
Publication date: 2004-11-04
Also published as: WO2004094751A3

Abstract

A shelter production facility comprises one rollforming machine with two possible configurations or two rollforming machines each with one configuration. One configuration produces a frame section and the other configuration produces a cladding profile. Frame sections are cut to lengths required and fixed to the ground and bolted to each other to form a framework. Cladding profiles are then bolted to the framework to form a shelter.

Description

Title: ON-SITE SHELTER PRODUCTION FACILITY

The present invention relates to metal buildings and more particularly, but not solely, to buildings in the form of shelters to provide emergency or temporary accommodation.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a stake or anchor for securing a footing of a metal building, the stake or anchor having a ground-engaging end and a footing-engaging end, the ground-engaging end having an expandable device and the footing-engaging end having fixing means for securing a footing to the footing-engaging end of the stake, the expandable device being expandable when it is located within ground to retain the stake or anchor in the ground.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a metal building comprising a plurality of footings capable of being secured to ground, elongate roUformed frame sections connectible to said footings and elongate roUformed cladding profiles connectible to said frame sections.

The frame sections and cladding profiles may be roUformed at the site where the building is to be erected.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method of erecting a metal building comprising securing a plurality of footings to ground on a site, rollforming a plurality of elongate frame sections, rollforming a plurality of cladding profiles, securing the frame sections to the footings and securing the cladding profiles to the frame sections.

There is intended to be only one type i.e. width, depth and shape of frame section and one type of cladding profile. They may be roUformed separately or as a continuous strip which is then cut into lengths. Constructional embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein :-

Figure 1A is a side elevation of an anchor according to the present invention;

Figure IB is a side elevation of the anchor inserted into a hole in ground;

Figure IC is a side elevation of the anchor in an alternative position when retained in the ground;

Figure ID is a plan view taken on line A-A of Figure 1 A;

Figure IE is a plan view taken on line B-B of Figure IB;

Figure IF is a plan view taken on line C-C of Figure 1 C;

Figures 2 A to 2K show details of the parts of the anchor shown in Figures 1A and IF;

Figure 3 A is a partial perspective view of a frame section;

Figure 3B is a partial plan view of a flat semi-finished metal sheet prior to being roUformed into the frame section of Figure 3 A;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a roUformed cover or cladding profile;

Figures 5A to 5C show details of an upper door hinge;

Figures 6 A and 6B show details of a lower door hinge;

Figures 7A and 7B show details of a connector; Figures 8 A, 8B and 9 show details of a sleeper pressing;

Figure 10 is a front view, without door and front cladding, of a building according to the present invention;

Figure 11A is a side elevation, without door and side cladding, of the building of Figure 10;

Figure 1 IB shows a detail of the building shown in Figure 11 A;

Figure 12 is a plan view, with door and cladding, of the building of Figures 10 and

11;

Figure 13 shows a detail of the door hinged to the body of the building;

Figure 14 shows a detail of a corner of the building;

Figures 15A to 15C show details of the door of the building;

Figure 16A is a side elevation of an alternative stake according to the present invention;

Figure 16B is a side elevation, partially in cross-section, of the stake in an alternative operative position;

Figure 16C is a plan view taken on line A-A of Figure 16A;

Figure 16D is a plan view taken on line B-B of Figure 16B; and

Figures 17A to 171 show details of the parts of the stake shown in Figures 16A and 16B. As shown in Figures 1A, IB and IC an anchor 2 has a spike 3 mounted on one end of a rod 4. The anchor is preferably 450mm long and the spike is preferably 50mm long. The end of the rod 4 remote from the spike 3 has a threaded portion 4A. Arms or flukes 9 are mounted in the spike 3 at the juxta-position of the spike and rod 4. When the anchor is in a hole in the ground as shown in Figure IB and is pulled upwards, the flukes 9 are urged from their folded or collapsed position shown in Figures 1A, IB, ID and IE to their splayed or extended position shown in Figures IC and IF. On the distal end of the rod 4 remote from the spike 3 there is mounted a U-shaped footing 8, the arms of which have elongate apertures 8A (Fig. 2J). The transverse base 8B of the footing 8 is clamped between nuts 1 A and IB. The connection between anchor 2 and footing 8 may be made before or after the anchor is driven into ground or buried in a hole in the ground and the flukes 9 may be extended before or after the anchor is buried in a hole in the ground, but normally afterwards.

The spike has a rod-receiving threaded hole 20 and two claws 21. A square spacer 24 is fitted into the well 22 between the claws so as to be non-rotatable. The lower end of the rod passes through a hole 23 in the spacer 24 and is screwed into the hole. For the purpose of removal from the ground the distal end of the rod has flats 25 to enable a spanner to be engaged so that the rod can be turned anticlockwise to unscrew it from the spike. Retained between the spacer and the spike in the well is a spring-tempered cruciform claw member 29 having four flukes 9 with stiffening flanges 9 A and end tags 9B. The bend junctions X between the flukes and the vertical base of the claw member form hinges.

Figure IB shows an anchor driven into the ground. The U-shaped footing is removed and the nuts that position the footing are repositioned to protect the top of the rod and its thread whilst the anchor is being driven into the ground. The claw member 29 is forced to collapse inwards towards the central rod as it follows the hole left by the spike. Figure IC shows the anchor after an upward force has been applied to the central rod. The uppermost outward facing tags are forced outwards and cause the flukes to move from the vertical towards the horizontal, thus creating an anchor effect. The U-shaped footing is repositioned on the central rod to the appropriate height having regard to three other corner stakes for the shelter.

As shown in Figures 3 A and 3B a metal sheet 11 is provided with bolt-holes 11 A and roUformed into a frame section 12. The perspective view of a cladding profile 13 is shown in Figure 4. In a building 15 four frame sections 12A are bolted to footings and erected vertically. The footings 8 are arranged in a square and located in the ground by stakes 2. Horizontal frame sections 12B and roof frame sections 12C form a framework strengthened by diagonal frame sections 12D forming braces. Additional vertical frame sections 12E are provided to support a door 16 formed from frame sections 12F and cladding profile 13. The door includes truncated frame section pieces 17 forming supports for the profile 13 and is provided with hinges 18 by means of which it is pivotably mounted on the building framework.

Figure 11B shows a detail of a cross rail 12C used to support the roof cover profile 13, being supported by a sleeper pressing 30. Two central cross rails are lifted at their ends by the introduction of sleeper pressings. Therefore when the cover profile is fitted to the roof a camber Z - Z or arch is created, which ensures that rain is dissipated efficiently from the roof and inhibits the creation of puddles.

The frame of the building is preferably bolted together with standard nuts and bolts. The cover profile is attached to the frame by "off-the-shelf self-tapping and self-drilling and threading roofing fasteners such as TEK (Trade Mark) fasteners. The structure of the building made from the frame section is preferably bolted together using standard off-the-shelf nuts and bolts. The cladding of the structure with the cover profile is also attached preferably using standard off-the- shelf self-drilling and threading roofing fasteners.

There could be a potential problem if the shelter has a flat roof. If the depth of the cover profile is only 30mm then during a heavy rainfall the weight of water might cause the roof to sag sufficiently for the water to leak into the shelter. Therefore by introducing pressed metal brackets (sleepers) under the ends of the two inner frame section rails which span the shelter, a shallow arch is formed in the cover profile when it is fitted onto the roof.

An alternative type of anchor may be provided. As shown in Figures 16A and 16B a stake 2 has a spike 3 mounted on one end of a rod 4. The spike is preferably 75mm long. The end of the rod 4 remote from the spike 3 has a threaded portion 4A. A tube 6 is slidably mounted on the rod 4 and carries a plunger 5 at one end and at its other end a nut 7 mounted on the threaded portion 4A. Arms 9 are pivotably mounted in the spike at the juxta-position of the spike and rod 4. When the nut 7 is rotated along the threaded portion 4A of the rod 4 from the position shown in Figure 16A to the position shown in Figure IB, the arms 9 are urged by the plunger 5 from their folded or collapsed position shown in Figures 16A and 16C to their splayed or extended position shown in Figures 16B and 16D. On the distal end of the rod 4 remote from the spike 3 there is mounted a U-shaped footing 8, the arms of which have elongate apertures 8A. The transverse base 8B of the footing 8 is clamped between nuts 1A and IB. The connection between stake 2 and footing 8 may be made before or after the stake is driven into ground or buried in a hole in the ground and the arms 9 may be extended before or after the stake is buried in a hole in the ground.

A basic building or shelter is preferably 3m x 3m x 2m high, made from a galvanised steel frame section each having a series of pre-pierced holes in its base and two sides for fastening purposes, plus a covering or cladding profiles also made from galvanised steel. The shelter has one door, made from the same materials.

The shelters are constructed by first hammering into the ground four foundation stakes at pre-determined positions; their securing arms being extended within the ground to anchor them. The structure of the shelter is then built up from the foundation stakes by bolting the required lengths of the frame sections vertically to the stakes, thus creating posts. Horizontals of the frame section are fastened to the posts, making a structure onto which a roof is built in a similar manner. Lengths of the frame sections, used as bracing, are added at strategic positions to form a strong and rigid structure. The covering profiles of the correct lengths are positioned on the walls and roof and secured to the frame section with fasteners. The fasteners are standard nuts and bolts, all the same size. There is a semi-hard mastic under the head of the bolt so that when it is used to attach the covering to the structure a watertight seal is produced. AU metal materials used are treated against rust.

The stakes are preferably about 450mm long and when hammered into the ground the securing arms are extended within the ground to lock them in. If the ground is very soft or sandy where a stake would not receive sufficient anchorage, a one- metre diameter hole is dug out the full depth of the stake. The stake is placed in the hole with its securing arms extended. Four 1500mm lengths are cut from a coil of material used to produce the frame sections, a hole is pierced in the middle of each length by using the pointed end of a stake, the lengths of material are placed over the stake in the hole and the lengths are pushed down to the extended arms. The lengths are spaced out evenly in a circle and the end 250mm of each is bent up at right angles to create what looks somewhat like a saucepan without a handle or circular hatbox without a lid. Similarly, a 1500mm length is cut from a wide coil used to produce the cover profile and a hole pierced in the centre. The length is also placed over a stake and pushed down to the bottom whereafter the ends are turned up. The hole is refilled and a secure anchor has been created. By bending the lengths ends with a sharp radius, 90 degrees or more, an anchor effect is created which inhibits the strip from being pulled through the ground when the stake is under tension.

The concept behind the invention is to enable a mobile production facility to be used that produces weatherproof shelters on the site where they are to be built and used. This may fulfil a need to quickly provide shelters and/or easily provide shelters for people displaced by nature or man-made disasters. The production of the component parts and assembly of the shelters may be undertaken by the displaced people on the site where the shelters are needed. The production facility may be designed and manufactured so that it can literally be carried to the place where the shelters are to be made. The production facility produces two roUformed metal components, which when assembled make the weatherproof shelters. AU machinery may be manually powered.

To ensure that displaced people have shelter in the quickest possible time complete production facilities and additional material packs could be stored at strategic sites around the world, ready for immediate dispatch. When required, they can be transported and be on site quickly and efficiently. When on site and unpacked the equipment is ready for immediate production. All equipment is designed and manufactured with ease of transportation foremost, whether for bulk transportation from factory to strategic sites or when stripped down into packs that can be carried manually. The manufacturing units and material packs can be manually relocated on site or moved to an adjacent area. When their objective is completed on one site, the manufacturing units and surplus material packs can be returned for storage at the strategic sites.

Shelters should be simple in design and construction, durable, long lasting and weatherproof and designed to withstand winds up to 100 krn/h, tropical rain storms and 150mm of snow.

A production facility may be made in two parts; firstly a material pack which contains all the basic materials to build the shelters and secondly a manufacturing unit, which comprises lightweight machinery and tools for forming the shelter's frame sections and cover profiles.

A material pack may contain sufficient materials to build ten shelters. Each pack can be stripped down into several modules, where four men can carry a module.

The packs contain coils of galvanised steel of the correct width and thickness, which are to be formed into the frame sections and similarly for the cover profiles plus sufficient foundation stakes and fixings.

A manufacturing unit is made up of two individual lightweight rollforming machines, one to produce the frame sections and the other to produce the cover profiles. Each machine comprises a lightweight metal frame, which is used as a chassis to hold a coil of material, the rollforming equipment complete with the manually operated drive, plus a shear to cut the formed section to length. Each unit is supplied with four carrying poles, which double up as tools for preparing foundations and building the shelters. Also included is a hammer, spanners for the fixings, plus 5m steel tape measure. Simple diagrams and explanations of how to use the equipment are provided, plus plans and diagrams of the shelters with instructions and a manual in various and/or appropriate languages.

The "modus operandi" of both machines is as follows:-

The appropriate coil of material of the correct width and thickness is hand loaded onto a coil holder, the retaining straps from around the coil are removed and the leading end of the coil is hand fed into a guide system of the rollforming machine. The machine is driven via manually operated pedals which, via chains and gears rotate the forming rolls, which pulls the flat material from the coil and forms the appropriate section into a continual length. When the required length is produced, the power source stops and the hand operated shear cuts the component to length.

Coils of material used to produce the frame sections and cover profiles are factory prepared. The material is cold reduced mild steel, which is coated on both sides with an anti-rust material, e.g. galv, Aluzinc.

The frame section coils are of the correct gauge and slit to the correct width. The slit edges of the strip are then conditioned to remove any sharp edges for safety reasons. The strip is then processed to produce the hole configuration as shown in

Figure 3B. The strip is then re-coiled and cut to produce coils with a weight of about 100 kg. The cover profile coils are of the correct gauge and slit to the correct width, then re-coiled and cut to produce coils of about 100 kg.

Carrying poles used for carrying the machines (four on each machine) have secondary uses. The poles used to carry the "cover profile machine" are assembled together in a simple harness to form a template for accurately positioning the foundation stakes. The poles off the "frame section machine" have individual uses for the preparation of the ground and foundation for the shelters. One has a shovel end attached; the second has a spade end attached; the third has a spike attached (for use like a crow-bar) and the fourth has a hammer end attached.

Daylight could be introduced into a shelter by fitting the cover profiles on the sides of the shelter to the top cross frame section, thus leaving a 45mm gap at the top for ventilation as well as a limited area to allow light to enter, or

building the shelter with one or two of the cover profiles cut into two halves, so that when used as an upright, the two half sheets overlap on the centre cross frame section, with the upper sheet being removed during daylight, or

by supplying a length of cover profile manufactured from a plastic or fϊbreglass, which will let light through. This sheet then becomes part of the roof.

Insulation and draft proofing, if required, is achieved by spraying the roof and walls with appropriate foam.

The shelters are not intended to be demountable for re-use because it is not practicable to strip them down for re-use. Therefore when their requirement is no longer needed they can be removed by manually unbolting the roof frame sections, complete with the cover profile and lifting clear, then disconnecting the posts from the foundation stakes and tipping the four walls over onto their sides so that the structure will collapse flat. The shelter, now in two flat parts, can be removed for recycling. Alternatively by lifting them vertically using a crane, complete with foundation stakes, flattening them and then putting them through a crusher for recycling. Should the foundation stakes be difficult to remove, the central bolt is turned anti-clockwise, when then disconnects the pointed end and extending arms.

The shelters are not limited to 3m x 3m x 2m high. The shelter sizes can easily be extended by multiples of its width (as facing the door), thus making a shelter 3m from front to back with a width of 3m, 6m or 9m etc. To make them interconnecting, the existing inverted "V" bracing is changed for the "door" type bracing and the cover profile is modified accordingly. The height can be increased by up to 3 m provided additional bracing is added. The size of the shelter as a whole could be increased provided the gauges of the frame section and cover profile are increased accordingly.

The shelters could replace existing "shanty towns" or provide security buildings, especially if produced in heavier gauges.

Claims

1. A metal building comprising a plurality of footings capable of being secured to ground, elongate roUformed frame sections connectible to said footings and elongate roUformed cladding profiles connectible to said frame sections.

2. A building as claimed in claim 1, wherein there are only the two roUformed parts of the frame sections and the cladding profiles.

3. A building as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein known standard nuts and bolts are provided for connecting together the frame sections and cladding profiles.

4. A kit of parts for forming a building as claimed in claim 1 , 2 or 3.

5. A kit as claimed in claim 4 including one or more rollforming machines for producing the frame sections and cladding profiles.

6. A method of erecting a metal building comprising securing a plurality of footings to ground on a site, rollforming a plurality of elongate frame sections, rollforming a plurality of cladding profiles, securing the frame sections to the footings and securing the cladding profiles to the frame sections.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, including rollforming the frame sections and cladding profiles by means of rollforming machines provided at or adjacent said site where the building is erected.

8. A method as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein the frame sections and cladding profiles are rolled in continuous strips which are then cut to lengths required.

9. A stake or anchor for securing a footing of a metal building, the stake or anchor having a ground-engaging end and a footing-engaging end, the ground- engaging end having an expandable device and the footing-engaging end having fixing means for securing a footing to the footing-engaging end of the stake, the expandable device being expandable when it is located within ground to retain the stake or anchor in the ground.

10. A stake as claimed in claim 9 used in a building as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3.

11. A stake as claimed in claim 9 included in a kit as claimed in claim 4 or 5.