Self-packaging Portable Housing Structure

Abstract

A portable, prefabricated, self-packaging housing structure having a box beam roof component, wall panels and a flat floor component. In an erected condition, the wall panels extend vertically between the roof component and the floor component and tie-down means connect the roof and floor components, the tie-down means being tensioned to maintain a bottom edge surface of the roof component against the top edge surfaces of the wall panels and the bottom edge surfaces of the wall panels against the upper peripheral edge surface of the floor component. The engaged surfaces of the roof component, wall panels and floor component are provided with mating keystrips and keyslots to increase the rigidity of the structure and to seal the joints against the weather. In a shipping condition, the wall panels are enclosed under the roof component which is secured by the tie-down, means directly on the floor component, whereby a package is formed which may be stacked with a number of like structures, one directly upon the other.

Description

This invention relates to a portable housing structure, and more particularly, to a prefabricated, self-packaging housing structure.

Prefabricated, portable housing structures are now commonly used by the military and many commercial operations such as mining, drilling and exploration setups. A wide variety of structures are in use, and many have proved unsatisfactory or at least have undesirable characteristics. Some are difficult and awkward to erect and require considerable time to dismantle. In some cases, after having been erected and dismantled, the structure cannot be readily assembled again, and indeed some are not constructed in a manner to be disassembled for relocation. Additionally, some types of structures are awkward to handle when in the dismantled condition and are subject to weather damage. Although structures have been developed to have a self-packaging feature, these structures have included heavy and bulky framework to permit stacking of the dismantled structures, and have required considerable hardware for fastening the components together either in the shipping or erected condition. Since the housing structures are used under extreme climatic conditions, many known housing structures have not proved to be sufficiently weather resistant.

According to the present invention, which overcomes the above disadvantages, there is provided a box beam roof component having a roof panel and downwardly depending edge members formed integrally with the roof panel about the periphery thereof. The present invention also includes a plurality of wall panels, a floor component including a floor panel carried on a frame structure, and tie-down means for securing the roof component to the floor component with the wall panels held in a vertical position between the edge members of the roof component and the floor component when the housing structure is in the erected condition. The same tie-down means are adapted to secure the roof component directly on the floor component with the wall panels contained under the roof component when the housing structure is in a shipping condition so that entire structure is thus self-contained as a single easily handled package. The roof component has means thereon for engagement with the frame structure of a like structure, so that the package, without any additional framework, can carry another like structure on it in a stacked relation with one housing structure carried directly on the roof component of another.

Preferably the bottom edge surface of the edge members and the upper edge surface of the wall panels have matching keyslots and keystrips. It is also preferable to have matching keyslots and keystrips in the bottom edge surfaces of wall panels and the upper peripheral portion of the floor panel. Moreover, the keyslots and keystrips on the bottom edge surface edge members of the roof component and the upper peripheral portion of the floor panel may match. Thus, in the erected condition a good weather resistant joint is provided between the wall panels and the roof and floor components, and in the shipping condition the package formed by the roof component and the floor component is well sealed. Additionally, the matching keyslots and keystrips facilitate the locating and accurate placement of components during assembly or when placing the components in a shipping condition.

The tie-down means preferably include a plurality of members for connection between the roof and floor components at spaced intervals about the housing structure, each member including a device of adjustable length, such as a turnbuckle, and an elongated element, such as a cable, for connection to the device for securing the roof component to the floor component when the housing structure is in the erected condition. The device may be separable from the element for use in securing the roof component to the floor component when the housing structure is in the shipping condition.

In the accompanying drawings, which show a preferred embodiment of the present invention:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one housing structure in an erected condition;

FIG. 2 is an exploded, perspective view of the housing structure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view through one side of the housing structure, as seen from line III--III of FIG. 1, and showing a cross-section of a portion of the roof component, floor component and wall panel;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of a corner of the housing structure, as seen from line IV--IV of FIG. 1, in an erected condition;

FIG. 5, which appears on the same sheet of drawings as FIG. 1, is a partial cross-section view similar to FIG. 3, but with the housing structure in a shipping condition;

FIG. 6 shows the end portions of a plurality of housing structures in the shipping condition stacked one on the other;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view showing the means provided for direct stacking of one housing structure on another;

FIG. 8, which appears on the same sheet as FIG. 3, is similar to FIG. 1, but showing two housing structure complexed together; and

FIG. 9, which appears on the same sheet as FIG. 6, is an enlarged cross-section view through adjacent walls of the complexed housing structures shown in FIG. 8, as seen from line IX--IX therein, and showing a doorway between the housing structures.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 10 generally denotes the housing structure of the present invention, the housing structures 10, including a roof component 11, wall panels 12, 13, 14 and 15, and a floor component 16. In the embodiment of the invention shown, the floor plan of the housing structure is of rectangular shape, wall panel 12 forming a front wall, wall panel 14 forming a back wall, and wall panels 13 and 15 forming end walls.

The roof component 11 is in the form of an integrated box beam, i.e., it has the configuration of a shoe-box lid, and thus contributes greatly to the strength and rigidity of the housing structure in either the erected or shipping condition. The roof component 11 is basically formed by a roof panel 17, which in the present invention is a flat horizontal member, and downwardly depending edge members 18 about the periphery of roof panel 17 and formed integrally with the roof panel 17. Thus in either longitudinal cross-section or transverse cross-section the roof component is of an inverted U-configuration with the roof panel 17 forming a web and the edge members forming downwardly depending flanges. The roof panel 17 includes a plurality of joist members 20 having an exterior skin 21 and an interior skin 22 (FIG. 3). The skins may be plywood or other satisfactory sheeting material. Similarly the edge members 18 include a plurality of studs 23, which are fixed at their lower ends to plate members 24 and 24'; the studs 23 having exterior skins 25 and interior skins 26 secured thereto.

Extending along the upper corner edges and about the periphery of the roof component 11, are rub-rails 27 which may be in the form of steel angle members secured to the wood parts making up the roof component. As is described in more detail below, laterally projecting lugs 28 are provided integrally with the rub-rails 27 at spaced intervals therealong, the lugs preferably having an outer end portion sloping slightly upward.

Above the upper surface of the exterior skin 21 of the roof component 11, diagonal roof struts 27' extend between the rub-rails 27 along the sides and ends of the roof component, the horizontal portion of the rub rails 27 and the struts 27' providing means on the roof component for carrying another structure thereabove in a manner described below. Indexing pins or protuberances 29 (FIG. 7) are fixed to these means and project upwardly therefrom.

At the vertical corners of the roof component, there are provided protective corner brackets 30 secured to the roof component. The corner brackets 30 may also be steel angle members which are capped at their upper ends. The corner brackets have flared lower ends 31 which project below the depending edge members 18, as best seen in FIG. 2.

The bottom plate member 24 provides a bottom edge surface 32 around the periphery of the roof component 11. The bottom edge surface has a keyslot 33 formed therein, which keyslot also runs about the periphery of the roof component.

The floor component 16 has a floor panel 34 mounted on and secured to a frame structure 35. The frame structure is preferably of simple design, including a pair of longitudinal members 36, 36, which may be I-beams, joined at opposite ends by a transverse steel tubular member 37. At the ends, the lower flange of the longitudinal members 36, 36 slopes upwardly at 38 to the tubular member so that the members may function as a skid frame. The lower flange is also provided with openings 40 (FIG. 7) adjacent the ends of the longitudinal members 36, 36, the openings being spaced to receive protuberances 29 as more fully described below.

The floor panel 34 has the exact outer dimensions as the roof component 11 and includes joist members 41 on which is secured a skin or floor boarding 42. The joist members may be carried directly on the longitudinal members 36, 36 of the frame structure and are bolted thereto.

The floor panel 34 has rub-rails 43, which may be of the same configuration as rub-rails 27 extending along the lower corner edges and about the periphery of the floor panel. The rub-rails 43 also have laterally projecting lugs 44 which are aligned vertically with the lugs 28 and have downwardly sloping end portions.

The floor boarding 42 provides a floor surface within the housing structure, and the upper peripheral portion 45 has a keystrip 46 which extends continuously around the perimeter of the floor panel 34, and as shown in FIG. 5, the keystrip is located and shaped to be received in keyslot 33 of the roof component when the housing structure is in the shipping condition.

Wall panels 12, 13, 14 and 15 are of similar construction, and depending on the required function the wall panels have windows and doors built therein. Each wall panel includes studs 47 secured between lower plate members 50, 50' and upper plate member 51 (FIG. 3), and exterior skins 52 and interior skins 53 are fastened to the studs. The skins may be in the form of any well known sheeting, panelling or like material having the desired appearance and structural characteristics.

Each wall panel thus provides an outside surface 54, an inside surface 55, and end edge surfaces 56 (FIG. 4). The upper plate member 51 provides an upper edge surface 57 for engagement with the bottom edge surface 32 of the roof component 11 when the housing structure is in the erected condition. Extending along the entire length of the upper edge surface 57 of each wall panel is a keystrip 60 arranged to be received in the keyslot 33 when surfaces 57 and 32 are in engagement. The lower plate member 50 provides a bottom edge surface 58 for the wall panel and has keyslot 61 extending therealong for reception of keystrips 46 of the floor component when bottom surface 58 engages upper peripheral portion 45 of the floor panel.

When the housing structure is in an erected condition the roof component 11 is fastened to the floor component with the wall panels clamped therebetween by way of a tie-down means 62. The tie-down means 62 includes a plurality of members each having a device of adjustable length, such as a turnbuckle 63, connected in end-to-end relation with an elongated element, such as a cable member 64. At opposite ends the turnbuckle 63 and cable member 64 provide eyes or similar means for reception of vertically aligned lugs 28 and 44. Thus after each tie-down means is connected between the lugs, the turnbuckle may be tightened to hold the components in the erected condition, and the tie-down means is maintained taut until it is desired to dismantle the housing structure (FIG. 3). After the housing structure is dismantled, a removable pin 65 or a similar means may be displaced to permit the cable member 64 to be dismantled from the turnbuckle 63 which may be connected between the same lugs of the roof and floor components but with the wall panels removed so as to secure these components in a shipping condition (FIG. 5). The length of the turnbuckle is preferably selected so that it satisfactorily spans the distance between lugs 28 and 49 when the roof component 11 rests directly on floor component 16 and may be tightened to firmly secure the roof component in place on the floor component.

The wall panels 12, 13, 14 and 15 are slightly shorter in length than the outer dimensions of the floor and roof components. For example, front and back wall panels 12 and 14 are shorter than the length of the floor and roof components by a few inches, and the end wall panels 13 and 15 are shorter by a few inches than the width of the floor and roof components. Thus the end edge surfaces 56 of adjacent wall panels are spaced at the vertical corners of the housing structure as shown in FIG. 4. The wall panels are held together, however, by corner brackets 66 each of which includes an inside angle member 67 and an outside angle member 68. The inside angle member 67 is an angle iron defining flanges or leg portions 70, 70 disposed at right angles and having outside surfaces 71, 71 for engagement with the inside surfaces 55 of the wall panels. The outside angle member is also an angle iron defining leg portions 72, 72 disposed at right angles and preferably joined by a flat angled middle portion 73. The leg portions 72, 72 have inside surfaces 74, 74, for engaging the outside surfaces 54, 54 adjacent the vertical corners of the housing structure. The inside surfaces 74,74 have locating stops 75 secured thereto, the stops 75 being in the form of a small angle iron welded or otherwise secured to the inner surfaces of the outside angle member so as to project from the inside surfaces 74, 74 and to provide an abutment for engagement with the end edge surfaces 56. Bolt means are provided for securing the inside and outside angle members together and thereby clamping adjacent walls together at the vertical corners of the housing structure, the bolt means being in the form of a plurality of bolts 76 passing through aligned holes in the inside and outside angle members. The bolts 76 have heads engageable with the angled middle portion 73 of the outside angle member and pass inwardly through the corner bracket 66. The inner ends of the bolts are threaded and are screwed into a nut section 77 secured to an inner corner bolt adapter 78 which engages the inner side of inside angle member 67.

When it is desired to complex two or more of the housing structures 10 together, the housing structures are erected side-by-side. The adjacent walls of the structure are slightly spaced in parallel relation (FIGS. 8 and 9). In order to provide a door opening between the structures, the wall of each structure is formed by a pair of stub wall panels 80, the total length of the pair of stub wall panels being less than a regular wall panel 12 or 14. The pair of stub wall panels are spaced longitudinally so that an opening is formed therebetween. The opening thus formed in the wall of one structure is aligned with the same type of opening in the adjacent structure. Cover strips 81, such as sheets of plywood are then secured to the stub wall panels so as to span the space between the adjacent walls and thereby frame in the sides of the door opening. A cover strip 82 is also secured to the bottom edge surfaces 32 of the adjacent depending edge members 18 of the two housing structures to frame in the top of the door opening. A preformed metal threshold member 83 is placed on the floor panels 34 of the adjacent structures to span the space between the floor components, the threshold member overlying the keystrips 46 extending along the upper peripheral portions 45 of the housing structures. A strip 84, which may be in the form of a heavy tape is secured on top of the horizontal portions of the rub-rails along the upper corner edges so as to seal off the space at the roof line of the two housing structures.

It is believed readily apparent from the above description that the housing structure 10 of the present invention is one which may be readily transported, erected and dismantled for shipment to another site where it may again be erected. In a package or shipping condition, the housing structure is completely self-contained and in a form which may be easily handled. As shown in FIG. 5, the roof component 11 is tightly secured to the floor component 16 by turnbuckle 63 of the tie-down means 61. Due to the strength provided by the box beam structure of the roof component 11, the structure is entirely capable of supporting its own weight plus others stacked thereon even though the frame structure 35 is of light and simple construction.

When preparing the housing structure 10 for shipment the wall panels 12, 13, 14 and 15 are laid one above the other, and even the front and back wall panels 12 and 14 are contained entirely within the upper peripheral portion 45 of the floor panel since the wall panels are slightly shorter than the full length of floor component 11, as described above. The roof component 11 is then placed over the wall panels, and the bottom edge surface 32 rests on upper peripheral portion 45 of the floor component with the keystrips 46 being received in the keyslot 33. The turnbuckles are then connected between aligned lugs 28 and 44 and tightened to tightly secure the roof component 11 to the floor component 16. The upper and lower corner edges of the shipping package are protected by the rub-rails 27 and 43. The vertical corners are protected by the corner brackets 30. The corner brackets 30 extend from the upper surface of the roof component 11 along the vertical height of the roof component and then project below a distance equal to the depth of the floor panel 34 so as to also protect its corner. Thus, in addition to forming a rigid self-contained package, it may be seen that with various means for providing protection to the housing structure in the shipping condition, special care need not be given to avoid damage and crushing during shipment. The interior of the package including the wall panels, are well protected from poor exterior conditions during shipment since it is well sealed by the keystrip and keystrip combination which also resists shifting of the roof and floor components.

Several housing structures 10 may be stacked together or illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 without the use of a shipping framework or supporting structures carried externally of the housing structure. The frame structure 35 of one structure is placed directly on the roof component 11 of another structure, and it may be quickly and accurately located by the reception of protuberances 29 in openings 40. After a plurality of structures have been stacked as indicated in FIG. 6, the structure may be secured together by means such as steel strapping to form a shipping unit of several housing structures.

When the housing structure is being erect on site, the turnbuckles 63 are removed, the roof component 11 raised, and the walls put in their vertical positions. The walls are accurately located by the reception of the keystrips 46 in the keyslot 61 and by engagement of the end edge surfaces 56 with locating stops 75 of the corner brackets 66. Once the corner brackets have been secured to the wall panels, the roof component 11 is lowered onto the walls and keystrip 60 is received in keyslot 33 as bottom edge surface 32 comes into engagement with upper edge surfaces 57 of the wall panels. Cable members 64 are then joined to turnbuckles 63 to form the tie-down means 62 which are tightened between aligned lugs 28 and 44 on the roof and floor components.

The erected housing structure 10 is highly resistant to weather conditions since the components are tightly secured together by the tie-down means 62. The surfaces 32 and 57 and surface 58 and 45 are held in tight engagement by the tie-down means to form weather-resistant joints in combination with the reception of keystrips in the keyslots. The corners are also well sealed by the corner brackets 66. Moreover, the flared lower ends 31 of the protective corner brackets 30 overlap the upper ends of the corner brackets 66.

As pointed out above, the longitudinal members 36, 36 together with tubular member 37 provide a skid frame so that even the erected housing structure may be towed short distances. As in the case of the structure in the shipping condition, all edges are protected by rub-rails or corner brackets so that the structure is not easily damaged.

To dismantle the erected housing structure 10, the tie-down means are dismantled, the roof component raised, and the corner brackets are removed so that the wall panels may be laid upon the floor component. Regardless of the number of times the housing structure is erected and dismantled, all components are left in useable condition. Even the end portion of the wall panels are undamaged by repeated dismantling since the corner structures require no nails or drill holes for bolts or screws.

Very little additional supplies are required to complex two or more housing structures together. The single wall panel normally used is replaced by a pair of stub panels 80 as to allow for a door opening as is described above. The extra strips used to frame the door, the threshold member and the top cover strip are, of course, only minor items easily provided within the package as prepared for shipping.

The above illustrates a preformed embodiment of the invention, it being readily apparent to one skilled in the art that various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appending claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. A portable housing structure comprising a box beam roof component having a roof panel and downwardly depending edge members formed integrally with the roof panel about the periphery thereof, a plurality of wall panels, a floor component including a floor panel carried on a frame structure, tie-down means for securing said roof component to said floor component with said wall panels held in a vertical position between said edge members of said roof component and said floor component when said housing structure is in an erected condition and for securing said roof component directly on said floor component with said wall panels contained under said roof component when said housing structure is in a shipping condition, said wall panels having inside and outside surfaces and end edge surfaces, the end edge surfaces of adjacent wall panels having a space therebetween at vertical corners of said housing structure when said housing structure is in the erected condition, connecting corner brackets for securing the wall panels together and closing said space, and means on said roof component for engagement with the frame structure of a like structure, whereby the housing structure and like housing structures in a shipping condition may be shipped in stacked relation with one housing structure being carried directly on the roof component of another.

2. A portable housing structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said edge members projecting downwardly from said roof panel define a bottom edge surface around the periphery of said roof component and wherein each wall panel has an upper edge surface engageable with said bottom edge surface, one of said edge surfaces having a keyslot therein and the other having a keystrip therealong for reception in said keyslot when said housing structure is in the erected condition.

3. A portable housing structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said edge members projecting downwardly from said roof panel define a bottom edge surface around the periphery of said roof component, and wherein said floor panel has an upper peripheral surface portion thereabout for engagement with said bottom edge surface, one of said surfaces having a keyslot therein and the other having a keystrip therealong for reception in said keyslot when said housing structure is in the shipping condition.

4. A portable housing structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said edge members projecting downwardly from said roof panel define a bottom edge surface around the periphery of said roof component, wherein said floor panel has a flat upper surface providing a peripheral surface portion thereabout for engagement with said bottom edge surface of said roof component when said housing structure is in the shipping condition, and wherein said wall panels have upper edge surfaces for engagement with said bottom edge surface of said roof component and bottom edge surfaces for engagement with said peripheral surface portion of said floor component when said housing structure is in the erected condition, said bottom edge surface of said roof component and said bottom edge surfaces of said wall panels having a keyslot therein, said upper edges of said wall panels having keystrips therealong for reception in keyslot in the bottom edge surface of said roof component when said housing structure is in the erected condition, said peripheral surface portion having a keystrip therealong for reception in the keyslot of said roof component when said housing structure is in the shipping condition and in the keyslot of the bottom edge surface of the wall panels when the housing structure is in the erected condition.

5. A portable housing structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said tie-down means includes a plurality of members for connection between said roof and floor components at spaced intervals about said housing structure, each member including a turnbuckle of adjustable length and a cable member having means for end-to-end connection with said turnbuckle for securing said roof component to said floor component when said housing structure is in the erected condition, said turnbuckle being separable from said cable member for use in securing said roof component to said floor component when said housing structure is in said shipping condition.

6. A portable housing structure as defined in claim 5, wherein said roof component has a metal rub-rail extending along the upper corner edge thereabout, wherein said floor component has a metal rub-rail extending along the lower corner edge thereabout, and including a plurality of lugs fixed to said rub-rails and projecting laterally therefrom, said plurality of members having means for connection between lugs on said roof component and on said floor component.

7. A portable housing structure comprising a box beam roof component having a roof panel and downwardly depending edge members formed integrally with the roof panel about the periphery thereof, a plurality of wall panels, a floor component including a floor panel carried on a frame structure, tie-down means for securing said roof component to said floor component with said wall panels held in a vertical position between said edge members of said roof component and said floor component when said housing structure is in an erected condition and for securing said roof component directly on said floor component with said wall panels contained under said roof component when said housing structure is in a shipping condition, said wall panels inside and outside surfaces and end edge surfaces, the end edge surfaces of adjacent wall panels having a space therebetween at vertical corners of said housing structure when said housing structure is in the erected condition, connecting corner brackets for securing the wall panels together and closing said space, said roof component having a protective corner bracket secured to each vertical corner thereof, each protective corner bracket having a flared lower portion projecting below said depending edge members for overlapping the connecting corner brackets when said housing structure is in the erected condition and overlapping the vertical corners of said floor component when said housing structure is in the shipping condition, and means on said roof component for engagement with the frame structure of a like structure, whereby the housing structure and like housing structures in a shipping condition may be shipped in stacked relation with one housing structure being carried directly on the roof component of another.

8. A portable housing structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame structure includes elongated members secured below the floor panel, and wherein said means on the roof component for engagement with the frame structure of a like structure includes plate-like members overlying the roof panel.