U.S. patent application number 11/464928 was filed with the patent office on 2008-04-10 for stackable building structure frame.
This patent application is currently assigned to Les Ateliers Bolduc et Freres Inc.. Invention is credited to Styve Dulac.
Application Number | 20080083189 11/464928 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39273966 |
Filed Date | 2008-04-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080083189 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dulac; Styve |
April 10, 2008 |
STACKABLE BUILDING STRUCTURE FRAME
Abstract
A stackable building structure frame of the shelter type whereby
to shelter shopping carts. The stackable building structure frame
can be secured in a collapsed condition whereby to facilitate
transport, storage and the erection of such building structures.
The frame is comprised of reinforced connecting plates secured to
opposed corners of a roof frame and to a vertical support post
secured thereto. The connecting plates permit the vertical posts,
which constitute the side walls of the structures, to be folded
under the roof assembly. The vertical posts are secured to the
connecting plates by a pair of connections one of which is a hinge
connection. These vertical posts are interconnected in a folded
condition by connecting vertical leg braces which are also the
adjustable legs for the vertical posts. Stacking corner support
legs are detachably secured to opposed corners of the collapsed
building structure frame to permit stacking of these collapsed
frames one on top of each other.
Inventors: |
Dulac; Styve;
(St-George-de-Beauce, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OGILVY RENAULT LLP
1981 MCGILL COLLEGE AVENUE, SUITE 1600
MONTREAL
QC
H3A2Y3
US
|
Assignee: |
Les Ateliers Bolduc et Freres
Inc.
|
Family ID: |
39273966 |
Appl. No.: |
11/464928 |
Filed: |
August 16, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/646 ;
52/79.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B 1/3445
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/646 ;
52/79.5 |
International
Class: |
E04H 12/18 20060101
E04H012/18 |
Claims
1. A stackable building structure frame comprising a roof frame
having a rectangular outline, a reinforcing connecting plate
secured to opposed corners of said roof frame, a vertical support
post secured to said connecting plate by two spaced-apart
connections lying on a vertical axis, one of said two spaced-apart
connections being a pivot connection when the other of said two
spaced-art connections is disconnected, and said other connection
being an arresting connection, said vertical posts secured to
opposed ones of said connecting plates on opposed sides of said
roof frame having their said pivot connection positioned to provide
a compact collapsed frame structure.
2. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 1
wherein said vertical posts, secured to opposed ones of said
connecting plates on opposed sides of said roof frame have their
pivot connection and arresting connections inverted from one
another.
3. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 2
wherein said roof frame is a pitched roof frame having opposed
sloped rafter members interconnected together by roof brace
members; said rafter members defining, with a cross-brace member
secured horizontally at opposed ends thereof, to opposed ones of
said connecting plates on opposed sides of said roof frame, a
triangular shaped truss.
4. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 3
wherein there is further provided an intermediate triangular shaped
truss secured to opposed intermediate connecting plates, said
intermediate connecting plates each having a vertical support post
secured thereto.
5. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 4
wherein said vertical posts on respective ones of said opposed
sides of said roof frame are interconnected together by bracing
side wall members.
6. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 5
wherein said bracing side wall members are comprised by at least
two spaced-apart horizontal bracing side wall members secured at
opposed ends thereof to adjacent ones of said vertical posts.
7. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 3
wherein said vertical posts secured to opposed ones of said
connecting plates are displaceable to a horizontal position on
their respective pivot connections to constitute a folded structure
with said vertical posts disposed in a substantially horizontal
plane and spaced apart, and means to detachably secure said
vertical posts secured to opposed ones of said connecting plates
together in pairs in said substantially horizontal plane whereby
said building structure frame is in a stable compact collapsed
stackable form.
8. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 7
wherein said means to secure said vertical posts in pairs is an
adjustable connecting vertical leg brace for a corresponding one of
said vertical posts, there being one of said adjustable connecting
vertical leg braces connected to said pairs of vertical posts
adjacent each said connecting plates.
9. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 8
wherein each said leg brace is provided with a foot plate.
10. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 7
wherein there is further provided a stacking corner support leg
detachably secured to opposed corners of said building structure
frame in said collapsed stackable form; each said corner support
leg having a stacking connecting cup-shaped connector secured to
opposed ends thereof shaped to mate with one another when two or
more of said building structure frames in said collapsed stackable
form are disposed one on top of another; said stacking corner
support leg being longer than the height of said building structure
frame in said collapsed stackable form.
11. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 10
wherein there is further provided fork lift engaging braces secured
spaced-apart across said building structure frame when in said
collapsed stackable form, said braces being engageable on said
sides of said roof frame.
12. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 11
wherein said fork lift engaging braces are elongated inverted
U-shaped channels engaged between opposed engaging brackets secured
to opposed outer side longitudinal frame members of said roof
frame, said engaging rackets having a hole sufficient to permit the
passage of fork lift fingers therein.
13. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 1
wherein said building structure frame is a shelter structure for
shopping carts.
14. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 2
wherein said roof frame is a pitched roof frame having opposed
sloped rafter members interconnected together adjacent a peak end
of said sloped rafter members by peak connecting plates, each said
opposed sloped rafter member having a first and a second spaced
apart connection, said first connection being a pivot connection
when said second connection is disconnected permitting said opposed
sloped rafters to be in a substantially common horizontal
plane.
15. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 14
wherein there is further provided an intermediate triangular shaped
truss secured to opposed intermediate connecting plates, said
intermediate connecting plates each having a vertical support post
secured thereto, said rafter member defining, with a cross-brace
member secured horizontally at opposed ends thereof, to opposed
ones of said connecting plates on opposed sides of said roof frame,
a triangular shaped truss.
16. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 15,
wherein said vertical posts secured to opposed ones of said
connecting plates are displaceable to a horizontal position on
their respective pivot connections to constitute a folded structure
with said vertical posts disposed in a substantially horizontal
plane and spaced apart, and means to detachably secure said
vertical posts secured to opposed ones of said connecting plates
together in pairs in said substantially horizontal plane whereby
said building structure frame is in a stable compact collapsed
stackable form.
17. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 16
wherein there is further provided a connecting plate support bar
removably secured to said connecting plates of said intermediate
triangular shaped truss whereby to provide an interconnecting
support between said connecting plates when two or more of said
folded structures are stacked one on top of another.
18. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 17
wherein said connecting plate support bar has a straight connecting
end section for securement to said connecting plate of said
intermediate triangular shaped truss, an outer vertical upwardly
extending section and an inner support straight arm section
extending substantially parallel to said straight connecting end
section and spaced a predetermined distance thereabove.
19. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 14
wherein said peak connecting plate is a flat metal plate having
opposed spaced connecting arm portions, each arm portion having a
sloped upper edge having a pair of spaced connecting holes adjacent
said sloped upper edge for receiving fasteners to constitute said
first and second connections.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a stackable building
structure frame of the shelter type and wherein the structure frame
is displaceable to a collapsed condition and provided with stacking
corner support legs for the stacking of same one on top of each
other.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Small building structures are known in the art whereby to
provide shelter for all sorts of devices or to provide shelter for
people. The structure of the present invention is one that is
preferably, although not exclusively, adapted to shelter shopping
carts in parking lots of large shopping centers Usually these
shopping carts are left exposed to the elements in a corral which
is usually formed of interconnected tubular members secured into
the pavement of the parking lots. These corrals do not protect the
shopping carts from rain, snow and the sun.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0003] It is a feature of the present invention to provide a
stackable building structure frame which is collapsible into a
stable compact stackable form and provided with supports whereby a
plurality of these collapsed structures can be stacked one on top
of each other.
[0004] Another feature of the present invention is to provide a
collapsible structure frame of the shelter type whereby to
facilitate the transport, storage and erection of these
structures.
[0005] Another feature of the present invention is to provide a
stackable building structure frame of the shelter type and wherein
the structure when in a collapsed stacked form can be easily
handled by forklift trucks
[0006] Another feature of the present invention is to provide a
stackable building structure which can be easily erected from a
collapsed condition by the disconnection and connection of very few
fasteners.
[0007] According to the above features, from a broad aspect, the
present invention provides a stackable building structure frame
comprising a roof frame having a rectangular outline. A reinforcing
connecting plate is secured to opposed corners of the roof frame. A
vertical support post is secured to the connecting plate by two
spaced-apart connections lying on a vertical axis. One of the
connections is a pivot connection and the other connection is an
arresting connection. The vertical posts, secured to opposed ones
of the connecting plates on opposed sides of the roof frame, have
their pivot connection oriented to provide a compact collapsed
frame structure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0008] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be
described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the stackable building
structure frame of the present invention in an erected
condition;
[0010] FIG. 2 is an exploded view, partly fragmented, of the detail
C of FIG. 1;
[0011] FIG. 3 is an end view showing the stackable building
structure frame being folded to a collapsed condition;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the building
structure frame in a fully collapsed condition;
[0013] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the stackable building
structure frame in a collapsed condition with stacking connector
support legs secured thereto as well as connecting vertical leg
braces secured to the vertical posts;
[0014] FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of detail A of FIG. 5;
[0015] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of detail C of FIG. 5;
[0016] FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing three stackable
building structure frames of the present invention in their compact
collapsed stackable form and stacked one on top of the other by the
corner support legs;
[0017] FIG. 9 is a perspective view, similar to FIG. 1, showing the
stackable building structure frame of the present invention in an
erected condition and wherein the pitched roof frame is provided
with a peak connecting plate permitting the roof frame to be
collapsed;
[0018] FIG. 10 is a perspective view, similar to FIG. 5, but
showing the stackable building structure frame in a collapsed
condition with the roof frame rafter members in a collapsed
interconnected condition;
[0019] FIG. 11 is a fragmented view showing part of the
construction of the connecting plate support bar; and
[0020] FIG. 12 is a perspective view, similar to FIG. 8, showing
four stackable building structure frames with their collapsed roof
frame in a stacked condition one on top of the other and wherein
the collapsed frames are supported intermediate their opposed ends
by connecting plate support bars on which the intermediate
connecting plates are supported.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG.
1, there is shown generally at 10 the stackable building structure
frame of the present invention. It is comprised of a roof frame 11
having a rectangular outline. As hereinshown the roof frame 11 is a
pitched roof frame having opposed sloped rafter members 12
interconnected together by roof brace members 13. The rafter
members 12 define, with a cross brace member 14, a triangular
shaped truss.
[0022] As hereinshown a reinforced connecting plate 15 is secured
to opposed four corners 16 of the roof frame 11. A vertical support
post 17 is secured to each connecting plate 15 by two spaced-apart
connections 18 and 19 as better seen in FIG. 2. These vertical
connections lie on a vertical axis with one of said connections
being a pivot connection, such as connection 18 and the other
connection being an arresting connection, such as connection
19.
[0023] The vertical posts 17 and 17' secured to opposed ones of the
connecting plates 15 and 15', on opposed sides of the roof frame
11, have their pivot connection and bracing connections inverted
from one another as more clearly illustrated in FIG. 1. As shown in
FIG. 2, the cross brace 14 is also secured to the connecting plates
15 and 15' at opposed ends thereof. The connecting plate is
provided with pre-drilled holes 20 to permit all of these
interconnections.
[0024] As shown in FIG. 1, the building structure frame may also
comprise intermediate trusses and vertical posts depending on the
length of the shelter to be fabricated. Bracing side wall members
21 interconnect the vertical posts together to form side wall
members and to which covering material may be secured. Covering
material is also securable at least on the rafters and the roof
brace members 13.
[0025] With reference now to FIGS. 3 and 4 there is shown how the
building structure frame of FIG. 1 is collapsed to a collapsed
stackable form. In order to form this collapsed structure, the
vertical posts have their arresting connections 19 disconnected
whereby the posts can pivot on their pivot connections 18. This
permits the vertical posts 17 and 17' to be folded to a horizontal
position, as shown in FIG. 4, whereby to constitute a folded
structure with the vertical post disposed in a substantially
horizontal plane and in a spaced-apart manner. Once all of these
vertical posts are collapsed to this position, they are secured to
one another, in pairs, by a connecting vertical leg brace 30. This
leg brace constitutes an adjustable leg support brace which is
placed at the bottom of the vertical posts. The leg brace 30 is
provided with a foot plate 31 to rest on a ground surface. The
vertical adjustable leg brace is also provided with a plurality of
holes 32 to permit the height adjustment of the vertical posts.
With the pairs of vertical legs interconnected together there is
provided a stable compact collapsed stackable building frame
structure.
[0026] In order to stack these collapsible building frames one on
top of the other, a stacking corner support leg 33 is detachably
secured to opposed corners 16 of the collapsed stackable structure.
Each of the corner support legs 33, as better seen in FIGS. 5 and
6, have stacking connecting cup-shaped connectors 34 and 34'
secured to opposed ends thereof. These cup-shaped connectors are
shaped to mate with one another, as shown in FIG. 8, when two or
more of these collapsed building frames are disposed one on top of
another, as shown in FIG. 8. The stacking corner support legs 33
are longer than the height of the building structure in the
collapsed stackable form. Their lengths are selected whereby these
frame structures are closely spaced to one another.
[0027] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, there is further provided
forklift engaging braces 35 secured in a spaced-apart manner across
the building structure when in its collapsible stackable form.
These braces are disposed substantially centrally of the collapsed
structure and are engageable on either side of the collapsed roof
frame. These forklift engaging braces are constituted by elongated
inverted U-shaped channels 36 engaged between opposed engaging
brackets 37 secured to opposed outer side longitudinal frame
members 38 of the roof frame. The engaging brackets 37 have a hole
39 sufficiently dimensioned to permit the passage of the inverted
U-shaped channels 36 and forklift fingers of a forklift truck, not
shown herein.
[0028] Referring now to FIG. 9, there is shown another embodiment
of the stackable building structure frame of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 9, the roof frame 11' is again a pitched roof
frame having opposed sloped rafter members 12' but wherein the
opposed slope rafter members 12' are interconnected together
adjacent a peak end 40 thereof by a peak connecting plate 41. The
peak connecting plate 41, as better seen in FIG. 10, has opposed
connecting arm portions 42 and 42' each provided with sloped outer
edges 43 and 43'. Holes 44 are spaced apart adjacent the slope
outer edge 43 and provides at least two connections for each of the
slope ratter members 12 and 12'. As hereinshown the uppermost hole
44 constitutes a pivot connection with its associated slope rafter
member 12' when connected by bolts. The other hole 44' constitutes
a second connection spaced from the pivot hole 44 whereby to
rigidly secure the slope rafter members 12 and 12' to the peak
connecting plate 41 to constitute a pitch roof frame. Accordingly,
by removing the fasteners 45 and 45' on all the pitch roof rafter
members, these rafter members can then be hinged on their
connection with the hole 44 to assume a substantially horizontal
collapsed position as illustrated in FIG. 10 wherein the opposed
slope rafter members 12 and 12' lie in a substantially horizontal
plane in end-to-end relationship.
[0029] As shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, a connecting plate support bar
50 is removably secured to the reinforced connecting plates 15 and
15' of the intermediate triangular shaped trusses 12'' whereby to
provide an interconnecting support between the connecting plates 15
and 15' of these intermediate trusses when two or more or a
plurality of the folded structures, as illustrated in FIG. 10, are
stacked one on top of the other. FIG. 12 illustrates four of these
structures stacked one on top of the other. Accordingly, when a
stack of these collapsed structures are picked up by a forklift
truck, the frame maintains a rigid stacked pack which does not
collapse or undergo stress in the middle portion of the span of the
collapsible frames.
[0030] Each of these connecting plate support bars 50 are
constructed from a tubular frame section and defines a straight
connecting end section 51 for securement to a respective one of the
intermediate connecting plates 15 or 15' which is provided with
holes to receive the fasteners 52 of this straight connecting end
section 51. The connecting plate support bar then defines an outer
vertical upwardly extending section 53, hereinshown as an upwardly
curved section and an inner support straight arm 54 extending
substantially parallel to the straight connecting end section 51
and spaced a predetermined distance thereabove whereby the
connecting plates 15 and 15' of the frame positioned thereover will
rest onto the inner support straight arm section 54. Although not
shown, this upper arm section 54 may be provided with a
longitudinal groove on the upper surface thereof whereby to locate
and restrain the bottom end of the connecting plate of an upper
collapsed frame positioned thereover. However, it is pointed out
that the stacking corner support legs 33, when mated on top of one
another, align the entire frame in position. Accordingly, the
connecting plates will all align themselves vertically when the
collapsed frames are stacked one on top of the other.
[0031] It is within the ambit of the present invention to cover any
obvious modifications of the preferred embodiment described herein
provided such modifications fall within the scope of the appended
claims.
* * * * *