WO2006100698A1

WO2006100698A1 - Disappearing building

Info

Publication number: WO2006100698A1
Application number: PCT/IT2005/000158
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giancarlo Picarazzi
Original assignee: Picarazzi S.A.S. Di Giancarlo Picarazzi & C
Priority date: 2005-03-24
Filing date: 2005-03-24
Publication date: 2006-09-28
Also published as: US20090120014A1; EP1891276A1

Abstract

A building equipped with a suitable mechanism by which it is caused to descend in a suitable shaft below ground level, in order to secure it both against bad atmospheric occurrences and malicious acts, is disclosed.

Description

Disappearing Building

Brief description of the Invention

The object of the present Invention comprises a building

equipped with a suitable mechanism by which it is caused to descend into a suitable shaft below ground level, in order to

secure it in the event of prolonged absence of the occupants,

both against particularly bad atmospheric occurrences e.g.

hurricanes, floods and fires, and to avoid, or at least limit, malicious acts of intrusion, theft or damage.

The building of the present invention is generally a house, a

shop, a kiosk, a laboratory, a workshop, an exhibition hall characterized by not having any protuberances, having limited

dimensions both in floor space and in height and being constructed preferably in wood or prefabricated material.

It is suggested, as a preferred example, wooden or

prefabricated houses comprising a single floor and having

floor dimensions in the order of a few square metres, e.g. 30-

50m^?, without balconies or verandas.

State of the Art

In the current state of the art, no buildings analogous to the present invention currently exist. Description of the Invention

The object of the present invention comprises a building and

an underlying shaft of slightly larger dimensions of floor space and height than the building, also an apparatus to cause

the transport of said building, positioning it into the shaft

and lifting it out thereof. The underlying shaft to accommodate the building will be finished with flooring and lateral walls to contain the ground, and these may be of

cement, bricks or other materials. Said shaft is not covered, said building functioning as a cover. Generally speaking it

is advisable that the lateral walls of the underlying shaft

protrude at least 50cm above the surrounding ground level and,

in the case of sloping land, protrude 50cm above the most

elevated point of the surrounding ground level.

Four jacks cause the veitical transport of the building, one

at each corner of the shaft, fixed to the base of the

building. Said jacks are electrically operated but can also be operated with power supplied by an internal combustion

engine. The jacks may be rack and pinion but, according to

specific requirements, screw jacks, piston jacks, hydraulic

jacks or compressed air operated jacks may be used. The

building must be constructed with a suitable supporting base

capable of supporting the necessary raising force of the four jacks. Preferably a site with flat ground or with a slight

slope will be chosen for the construction of the building. In the position of maximum elevation, the floor of the building corresponds with the highest extremity of the walls

of the underlying shaft, that being 50cm above ground level

and, if the ground is inclined, 50cm above its most elevated

point. In this position it is advisable, for safety, to place

blocking devices on each of the four sides, comprising, for

example, four iron bars which are positioned under the floor

of the building and which extend into the walls of the

underlying shaft, actuated electrically, hydraulically or even manually. All external connections of the building, such as mains services, comprising for example, connections for

electricity, drinking water, sewage, telephone, gas etc., can

be made with flexible pipes. Alternatively, the electrical connections can be equipped with suitable detachable sockets

and the water and gas connections can be equipped with

suitable valves.

With the action of placing the building in safety, the four

safety blocking devices and all the external services connections, if not flexible, are retracted, as are, if necessary, possible external antennas.

When the building is in its position of use, that is completely outside the containing shaft, a suitable cover is

provided for the small gap existing between the top side of

the internal perimetric walls of the shaft and the external perimetric walls of the building to prevent the ingress of

dust, leaves and small animals. On the exterior, in the

immediate vicinity of the building, is also provided an

appropriate protected electrical panel for the actuation of the blocking devices and the jacks as well as suitable signs

to prevent damage to third parties or to the building itself.

A retractable folding ladder is provided, fixed to the floor

of the building, to access the underlying shaft; the shaft

floor is suitably inclined towards a drain with soakaway or equipped with a pump for the removal of possible water

accumulation in the shaft. A suitable space is made between

said floor and the lower surface of the building to accommodate the jacks and the retractable ladder.

Description of some preferred embodiments of the Invention

In one embodiment of the building object of the invention,

when said building has a structure such as to be able to be

lowered completely, roof included, into the containing shaft,

a cover is provided comprising a sheet of impermeable and fireproof material, which is spread over the roof of the building placed in safety, and suitably fixed to the ground (Fig.1-4) .

Alternatively to the above mentioned embodiment, in the case where it is deemed suitable to excavate to a lesser depth, and

therefore the building is admitted into the containing shaft

with the exclusion of the roof, this roof of fireproof material and equipped perimetrically with a suitable band of impermeable, fireproof and elastic material which abuts

against the top of the lateral walls of the shaft when the

building is placed in safety in the underlying shaft, closing

the gap between roof and lateral walls of the shaft (Fig.5-8) . In another embodiment of the invention, when the building to be admitted has a roof, constructed in fireproof material,

that projects over the corresponding lateral walls of the

building, to avoid damage to the eaves of the roof against the top of the shaft walls during descent into the underlying

shaft, suitable stops are provided to ensure a suitable

distance between the eaves of the roof and the top of the

shaft walls. To protect the gap created between the eaves of the roof and the top of the shaft walls, the eaves are shaped

as a skirt so that the latter, when the building is placed in

safety, closes the lateral walls of the shaft. The external

vertical sides of the containing walls conveniently channel rainwater to their exterior (Fig.9-12).

In another embodiment the building according to the invention, is equipped with a flat sheet steel roof, easily insulated at its exterior and easily reinforced and equipped with vertical

sides. Said sides are easily sized and positioned so that when the building is placed in safety in the underlying shaft,

the vertical sides of the roof close the external lateral wall of the shaft, like a box. In such position, suitable blocking

and security apparatus can securely enclose the building in

the underlying shaft. The external vertical sides of the

containing walls easily channel rainwater to their exterior

(Fig.13-16) .

Detailed description of the drawings For a better understanding of the building object of the invention reference is made to the attached drawings, which

must not in any way, be considered limiting in the scope

thereof . In said drawings equal reference numbers indicate the same

elements.

Figure 1 shows a front view of the building, rectangular in

design, and a sectional view of the underlying shaft, in the

normal position of use according to the first embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 shows a lateral view from the right of the building and a sectional view of the underlying shaft, of Fig. 1 in the normal position of use.

Figure 3 shows a front view of the building and a sectional

view of the underlying shaft, of Fig. 1 when it has been lowered, for safety, into the underlying shaft.

Figure 4 shows a lateral view from the right of the building

and a sectional view of the underlying shaft of Fig. 1, when

it has been lowered, for safety, into the underlying shaft.

Figure 5 shows a front view of a rectangular building and a sectional view of the underlying shaft, in the normal position

of use, according to the second embodiment of the invention.

Figure 6 shows a lateral, sectional view from the right of the building and the underlying shaft, of Fig.5 in the normal

position of use.

Figure 7 shows a front view of the building and a sectional

view of the underlying shaft, of Fig 5 when it has been

lowered, for safety, into the underlying shaft.

Figure 8 shows a lateral view from the right of the building

and a sectional view of the underlying shaft, of Fig. 5 when

it has been lowered, for safety, into the underlying shaft.

Figure 9 shows a front view of a rectangular building and a sectional view of the underlying shaft, in the normal position

of use, according to the third embodiment of the invention. Figure 10 shows a lateral view from the right of the building

and a sectional view of the underlying shaft of Fig 9 in the normal position of use.

Figure 11 shows a front view of the building and a sectional view of the underlying shaft of Fig. 9 when it has been lowered, for safety, into the shaft.

Figure 12 shows a lateral view from the right of the building

and a sectional view of the underlying shaft of Fig. 9, when it has been lowered, for safety, into the shaft. Figure 13 shows a front view of a building with flat roof, and

a sectional view of the underlying shaft, in the normal

position of use according to the last embodiment of the

invention.

Figure 14 shows a lateral view from the right of the building

and a sectional view of the underlying shaft of Fig. 13 in the

normal position of use.

Figure 15 shows a front view of the building of Fig. 13 and a

sectional view of the underlying shaft, when it has been lowered, for safety, into the shaft.

Figure 16 shows a lateral view of the building and a sectional

view of the underlying shaft of Fig. 13, when it has been lowered, for safety, into the shaft.

In the above mentioned drawings are clearly indicated: the building (1) equipped with door (2), windows (3), sloping roof

(4), the floor (5), the retractable, folding ladder (6), the

television antenna (7), the four guide rails (8), the motors

and pinions of the four jacks (9); the underlying shaft (10) comprising perimetric walls (11) , with four racks (12) , and

the base (13) equipped with suitable flooring and drain (14)

either soakaway or with a pump for the extraction of possible

water; the perimetric band (15), if necessary, in four parts,

of fireproof, waterproof elastic material integral with the roof (4) of the second embodiment of the present invention, of

fireproof, waterproof and elastic material in the unwound

position (18) and m the wound position (17), the winding

being facilitated by a winding shaft and a motor for its rotation, not shown in the drawings: once drawn over the

building the cover (16) is fixed to the ground by means of

appropriate hooks (19); the safety blocks (20), at least four;

the roof equipped with skirt (26) of the embodiment of Figures 9-12; the flat roof (21), object of the embodiment of the present invention as in Figures 13-16, equipped with vertical

side (22) and of a layer of insulation (23) on the upper parts

towards the exterior of the building; the eaves (24); the perimetric cover (25) ; the blocking and security apparatus

(27); the control and operation panel (28).

In this last embodiment, with flat roof, by means of suitable

blocking and security apparatus (27) between cover (21) and

perimeter walls (11), it is possible to close the building (1)

in the shaft (10) with a high degree of security.

Claims

1. A Disappearing Building, equipped with door (2), windows

(3), roof, floor (5), antennas and suitable connections, characterized by the fact that it is equipped with suitable,

vertical, metallic guides (8), a retractable, folding ladder

(6) fixed to the floor (5), and of at least four safety blocking devices (20) installed under the floor (5) and that under the building (1) is excavated a suitable shaft (10)

equipped with vertical transport means that work with the

above mentioned guides (8), and a drain (14), said shaft (10)

being bound by containing walls (11) which rise to at least 50cm above the ground, and having floor dimensions slightly larger than those of the building (1) and in which is

installed a suitable system of closure and protection operable

externally by means of switches contained in a control and operation panel (28).

2. A Disappearing Building according to claim 1, characterized

by the fact that the underlying shaft has a depth greater than

the maximum height of the building (1), calculated corresponding to the highest point of the roof, and that the apparatus for protection and closure comprises a sheet (16),

of fireproof and waterproof material that covers, when the

building (1) is placed in safety in the shaft (10), the whole building (1), inclusive of the roof, and is fixed to the

ground by the winding roll (17) and by the hooks (19).

3. A Disappearing Building according to claim 2, characterized by the fact that the roof of the building (1) is a sloping

roof (4 ) .

4. A Disappearing Building according to claim 2, characterized

by the fact that the roof of the building (1) is a flat roof

(21) .

5. A Disappearing Building according to claim 1, characterized

by the fact that the roof of the building (1) is a sloping

roof (4), that the depth of the shaft (10) is greater than the

height of the building (1) excluding the roof (4); and that

the apparatus for protection and closure comprises a

perimetric band (15) of fireproof, waterproof and elastic

material.

6. A Disappearing Building according to claim 5, characterized

by the fact that the band (15) comprises four separate bands, one for each side of the roof (4) .

7. A Disappearing Building according to claim 1, characterized

by the fact that the roof of the building (1) is a sloping

roof (4), that the depth of the shaft (10) is greater than the

height of the building (1) excluding the roof (4); and that

the apparatus for protection and closure comprises a vertical, perimetric -skirt (26) of rigid material.

8. A Disappearing Building according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the roof (21) of the building (1) is flat and

equipped with suitable vertical sides (22) , that the system of

protection and closure comprises said roof (21) that the

building (1) placed in safety, encloses from the outside the containing walls (11) and that the blocking and safety apparatus (27) fixes the roof (21) to the walls (11) .

9. A Disappearing Building according to claim 8, characterized

by the fact that the flat roof (21) is of sheet steel equipped with suitable insulation (23) on its exterior.

10. A Disappearing Building according to any of the preceding

claims, characterized by the fact that the transport means of

the building (1) comprises four jacks (9) operated by electric

• motor, internal combustion engine, or manually.

11. A Disappearing Building according to claim 10,

characterized by the fact that the jacks (9) can be chosen from rack and pinion jacks (12), screw jacks or piston jacks.

12. A Disappearing Building according to any of the preceding

claims, characterized by the fact that it comprises a house,

shop, kiosk, laboratory, workshop, and exhibition hall.