Prefabricated building

Abstract

Abstract A PREFABRICATED BUILDING, EITHER ERECTED OR KNOCKED DOWN FOR SHIPMENT IN THE FORM OF A PACKAGE KIT, WHICH INCLUDES A RIGID CENTRAL BOTTOM WALL, A RIGID ROOF, AND AT LEAST ONE RIGID END SHELL. IN A TYPICAL EMBODIMENT, THERE ARE TWO RIGID END SHELLS. IN SUCH AN EMBODIMENT, EACH END OF THE ROOF HAS AN ATTACHING SURFACE, AND THE INNER TOP WALL OF EACH OF THE END SHELLS HAS AN ATTACHING SURFACE, WITH MEANS BEING SUPPLIED TO TIGHTLY SECURE THE ATTACHING SURFACE AT EACH END OF THE ROOF TO THE ATTACHING SURFACE AT THE TOP INNER EDGE OF THE CORRESPONDING END SHELL. THE ATTACHING SURFACES MAY BE PROVIDED BY VERTICALLY EXTENDING FLANGES. MEANS ARE ALSO PROVIDED TO TIGHTLY SECURE EACH END OF THE CENTRAL BOTTOM WALL TO THE BOTTOM INNER EDGE OF THE CORRESPONDING END SHELL. EACH END SHELL HAS A RIGID TOP AND BOTTOM WALL AND AT LEAST ONE VERTICAL OUTER LOAD-BEARING WALL. SUPPORT MEANS ARE PROVIDED TO HOLD THE CENTRAL BOTTOM WALL ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, AND THE BOTTOM OF EACH END SHELL UNSUPPORTED AND SPACED ABOVE GROUND LEVEL WHEN THE BUILDING IS INSTALLED IN PLACE AT THE BUILDING SITE. IN ONE EMBODIMENT, REENTRANT FLANGES ARE USED AT THE OUTER ENDS OF THE CENTRAL BOTTOM WALL AND THE ROOF, WITH CORRESPONDING FLANGES ON THE END SHELLS FITTING INTO THE CHANNELS OF EACH REENTRANT FLANGE. THE SIMPLEST COMBINATION OF THE STRUCTURAL MEMBERS JUST DESCRIBED INVOLVES A RIGID ROOF HAVING A RIGID END SHELL AT ONLY ONE END OF THE ROOF, WITH MEANS PROVIDED AT THE OTHER END OF THE ROOF TO SUPPORT IT IN SPACED RELATION ABOVE THE CENTRAL BOTTOM WALL.

Inventors

• 👤 Martin B Schaffer
• 👤 Steven D Kimmell

Bibliographic Details