GB2453865A

GB2453865A - Demountable shelter

Info

Publication number: GB2453865A
Application number: GB0819061A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jonathan Francis Andrew Cooke
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-10-20
Filing date: 2008-10-17
Publication date: 2009-04-22
Anticipated expiration: 2028-10-17
Also published as: GB0819061D0; GB0720611D0; GB2453865B

Abstract

A demountable shelter C comprises a roof constructed of a plurality of roof spars 8, 13, 33 radiating and inclined downwardly from a central hub region 1 and a plurality of roof panels 14a, 14b each fitted between adjacent roof spars. The spars are supported by support members 3 of the shelter structure at a region intermediate their ends such that the radially outer ends of the main roof spars 8 are being urged downwards by a tensioning arrangement 6 which stiffens the roof. Preferably segments of the roof are gabled and wedges bear on the underside of the main roof spars 8 to further strengthen the roof. Several shelter units may be connected together at floor level to form a modular arrangement. A later embodiment relates to a kit of parts for said demountable structure.

Description

1 2453865 Shelter The present invention relates to a demountable shelter structure, a kit of parts for such a shelter structure, and a shelter arrangement comprising a two or more such shelter structures linked together.

US 4 I 7355 discloses an octagonal prefabricated shelter having a conventional pyramidal tiled roof supported on vertical posts.

There is however a requirement for comfortable, versatile shelters that are capable of being temporarily erected or positioned, whether in the garden, in the wider landscape or for transitional disaster relief applications.

However, temporary structures often have characteristics that make them unsuitable for particular locations, particularly in visually or environmentally sensitive countryside. Chassis-based products (such as static and touring caravans) can be too large and difficult to transport to many locations. The way of access may require preparation in addition to the intended site. This may compromise the temporary state of the installation in practical terms. Fabric covered structures, although easy to transport and erect, may not provide a high level of comfort without the addition of further weatherproofing, a floor and insulation.

Furthermore there is a requirement for a demountable shelter structure which can be assembled quickly from a small number of parts and remain weatherproof even under severe conditions such as high winds or temperature extremes.

An object of the present invention is to provide a shelter structure meeting at least some of these requirements.

Accordingly the invention provides a demountable shelter structure comprising a roof constructed of a plurality of roof spars radiating and inclined downwardly from a central hub region and a plurality of roof panels each fitted between adjacent roof spars, the spars being supported by support members of the shelter structure at a region intermediate their ends and the radially outer ends of the roof spars being urged downwardly by a tensioning arrangement.

The tensioning arrangement, which is preferably adjustable, stiffens the roof and accommodates slight tolerances in the size of the roof panels and other constructional elements of the structure.

Preferably the tensioning arrangement comprises a peripheral array of posts connected at upper ends thereof to the radially outer ends of a plurality of the roof spars. This feature provides further rigidity to the structure, enabling a more lightweight construction for a given strength or more strength for a given weight limit. Furthermore it facilitates a shelter design with an external covered area beneath the eaves of the roof, which is often inherently desirable and allows shelter units to be linked together, as described below.

Preferably successive adjacent roof spars differ in their angle of downward inclination, spars of maximum downward inclination defining radiating valleys in the roof with gable portions between the valleys. This feature improves the stiffness of the roof and increases the inclination of the roof panels, improving run-off of rainwater and reducing the risk of leaks.

Preferably said tensioning arrangement is coupled selectively to said spars of maximum downward inclination. This feature ensures rigidity of the roof structure as a whole, yet allows the panels to expand and contract without straining the roof.

As the panels expand the gable portions billow upwards very slightly and conversely when the panels contract the gable portions subside very slightly.

Preferably said gable portions are supported on and urged upwardly by said support members, eg via a lintel.

Preferably main roof spars of said valley portions engage respective radially oriented wedges which are supported on wall pillars. This feature ensures rigidity as tension and compression is increased throughout the main frame of the structure.

Preferably radial edges of the roolpanels are overlapped and clamped by said roof spars radiating from said central hub. The roof spars are desirably in two parts, upper and lower, which are profiled to provide clamping action upon said roof panels when tightened together with bolts along the underside of their length. This action joins said roof panels, increases strength and seals the roof panels against water ingress.

Preferably said wall is polygonal and the roof spars include main roof spars whose radially outer ends form a polygonal array. This feature facilitates linking modular polygonal shelter structures in different configurations to form a variety of shelter arrangements.

In another aspect the invention provides a kit of parts for a demountable shelter structure as defined above, the kit comprising a plurality of roof spars and a plurality of roof panels each arranged to be fitted between adjacent roof spars inclined downwardly and radiating from a central hub region, a tensioning arrangement for urging the radially outer ends of the spars downwardly and a modular wall assembly including support members for supporting the roof spars at a region intermediate their ends.

The invention also provides a demountable shelter arrangement comprising a plurality of demountable shelter structures as defined above, and comprising at least one floor portion connecting adjacent shelter structures.

Further preferred features are defined in the dependent claims.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below by way of example only, with reference to Figures 1 to 8 of the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view from above of a demountable shelter in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the roof of the shelter of Figure 1, one segment of the roof being shown disassembled; Figure 3 is a plan view of the floor frame assembly of the shelter of Figure 1; Figure 4 is an elevation of the shelter of Figure 1; Figure 5 is an elevation showing a central hub mounted on support post and a segment of the roof radiating from the hub and supported on two wall pillars and two external posts; Figure 6a is a perspective view similar to Figure 5 but from a slightly lower viewpoint and showing the support post removed and the compressive and tensile forces exerted by the roof on the wall pillars and external posts respectively; Figure 6b is a diagrammatic side elevation, partly in section, showing in more detail the engagement of a wedge with a roof spar in the arrangement shown in Figure 6a; Figure 7a is a diagrammatic side elevation, partly in section, showing in more detail a main roof spar in the shelter of Figure I; Figure 7b is a diagrammatic side elevation, partly in section, showing in more detail a central roof spar in the shelter of Figure 1; Figure 7c is a diagrammatic side elevation, partly in section, showing in more detail an intermediate roof spar in the shelter of Figure 1, and Figure 8 is a plan view of a modular shelter arrangement comprising four linked shelters of the type shown in Figure 1.

Referring mainly to Figures 1 and 4, a demountable shelter C is shown and is generally hexagonal in plan view. It is constructed from a mainframe or structural skeleton composed of a roof crown (or hub) 1, floor hub 2 and six sets of the following: main roof spars 8, wall pillars 3 with lintels 17 (Figures 5 and 6) and wedges 16 (Figures 5 and 6) outer pillars (or posts) 6 and main floor joists 7 (Figure 3). The above mainframe components, which are suitably made of timber, are mounted on a hexagonal wooden subframe assembly A (Figure 4) which is pegged to or otherwise secured on the ground after being levelled.

The floor hub 2 is bolted to the top of the subframe assembly A and the inner ends of the main floor joists 7 are located in complementary recesses of the floor hub 2 (Figure 3) and bolted in position. The outer pillars 6 are bolted at their lower ends to the outer ends of the floor joists 7.

Floor sub-frames 9 (Figure 3) each comprise a radial joist carrying an array of transverse joists pivotally mounted on opposite sides thereof. The transverse joists lie against the sides of the radial joist in the folded configuration. These radial joists are first inserted into locating recesses in the subframe A and the transverse joists are then unfolded from their supporting hinges to the configuration shown in Figure 3. The floor joists 7 are in the form of I beams and the free ends of the transverse joists rest in the opposite channels of the I in the deployed configuration shown.

The outer ends of floor sub-frames 9 are then secured to sockets in the mid-portions of wall joists 10 which are in turn bolted at their ends to the main floor joists 7. Lower wall panels 11 (Figure I), in the form of painted canvas-covered birch ply frames, arc located against the outer sides of the wall joists 10 and then outer floor frames 12 (Figure 1) are bolted through the lower wall panels 11 to the wall joists 10 to form a rigid floor assembly.

Wall pillars 3 arc mounted between the lower wall panels II and rest on floor joists 7. Lintels 17 (Figure 5) are bolted to adjacent pairs of wall pillars and, as best seen in Figures 2 and 5, main roof spars 8, central roof spars 13 and intermediate roof spars 33 are secured at their inner ends within a peripheral channel of roof crown I and arc laid over lintel 17. As best seen in Figure 2, the central roof spars 13 are shorter than the intermediate roof spars 33 which in turn are shorter than the main roof spars 8, thereby defining a substantially triangular roof segment subtending an angle of 30 degrees. Thus the roof structure is substantially hexagonal in plan view.

Furthermore, as best seen in Figures 4 and 5. the lintel 17 forms a gable portion of the roof between main roof spars 8, which have a greater downward inclination than spars 33 which in turn have a greater downward inclination than spar 1 3. This sequence is repeated for each of the six roof segments making up the hexagon.

Each of the spars 8, 13 and 33 is in two-part form and is fitted to an edge of a roof panel, namely outer roof panel 14a (Figure 2) which is located between spars 8 and 33 or inner roof panel l4b (Figure 2) which is located between spars 13 and 33.

Referring to Figures 7a, 7b and 7c, each of the spars 8, 13 and 33 is in two-part form (indicated at 8a, 8b; 13a, 13b and 33a, 33c respectively) and these upper and lower parts overlap and clamp beaded radial edges of two adjacent roof panels (14a, l4a; 14b, 14b and 14a, 14b respectively) by means of a series of bolts which are distributed along the underside length of the spars.

As best seen in Figures 5 and 6a, main roof spars 8 are secured (eg by bolts, not shown) to the tops of outer posts 6. The wall pillars 3 project slightly above the lines of the main roof spars 8 and hence the roof applies compression forces C to the wall pillars and tension forces T to the outer posts 6, as shown in Figure 6.

These forces can be adjusted by screwing bolts extending between wedges W and wall pillars 3 as best seen in Figure 6b. As the bolts are tightened, wedge W moves to the right in the Figure and its inclined upper surface applies increased upward pressure to the underside of spar 8, increasing tension T and compression C. At this stage central supporting post can be removed, although in a variant it can be secured in position to provide extra strength. Brackets 16 (Figures 5 and 6a) are bolted to the lintels 1 7 and apply upward pressure to the inside of central spars 13 in order to taughten and stiffen the roof structure. However the intermediate roof spars 33 are nearly unconstrained in the vertical direction and can accommodate some movement of the roolpanels.

The inner ends of the spars run beneath the crown 1.

The wall of the shelter can be completed by adding further panels 20 (Figure 1) into which removable window units 21 (Figures 1 and 7) can be fitted. These are suitably glazed with transparent acrylic panels. The structure can be erected with open wall frames, fabric covered walls or insulated panels (eg panel 20). The modular wall units allow them to be interchanged; the number and position of windows and doors can be varied according to preference. The system allows specifically designed wall modules to be fitted for particular use.

The wall panels are modular and interchangeable. In a variant of the shelter structure, the frame and roof can operate as an open-sided floor area with roof, ie without wall panels, door frame and door fitted.

Figure 8 shows four shelter units C shown connected at floor level by link assemblies B. Once joined, the individual units can become separate rooms, arranged to preference. The link assemblies B locate with the outer floor assemblies 12 to from a bridge between the units. The centre of each unit can be defined by positioning the centre of each sub-frame A on a radius line from the first unit's centre. Each sub-frame can rotate on a central post (not shown) that is fixed into the ground. This allows the adjoining structures to be correctly orientated for link assembly B to be installed. The final position is fixed when the structures are levelled and secured to the ground.

Once the structure is removed, the site desirably shows no permanent evidence of the structure. The minimal impact of such a structure lends itself to a design that is underpinned by the use of environmentally ethical, sustainable materials where possible.

Numerous variants of the above embodiments arc possible. For example the shelter could be of octagonal rather than hexagonal shape, with the advantage of smaller roof and wall panels for a given size. The roof and wall panels can optionally include thermal insulation, depending on the climate and local building regulations.

Additionally a cable tensioning arrangement for the outer ends of the roof spars could be utilised instead of or in addition to the wedge and wall post arrangement shown in Figures 5, 6a and 6b.

Claims

Claims I. A demountable shelter structure comprising a roof constructed of a plurality of roof spars radiating and inclined downwardly from a central hub region and a plurality of roof panels each fitted between adjacent roof spars, the spars being supported by support members of the shelter structure at a region intermediate their ends and the radially outer ends of the roof spars being urged downwardly by a tensioning arrangement.
2. A demountable shelter structure according to claim I or claim 2 wherein the tensioning arrangement comprises a peripheral array of posts connected at upper ends thereof to the radially outer ends of a plurality of the roof spars.
3. A demountable shelter structure according to claim I or claim 2 wherein successive adjacent roof spars differ in their angle of downward inclination, spars of maximum downward inclination defining radiating valleys in the roolwith gable portions between the valleys.
4. A demountable shelter structure according to claim 3 wherein said tensioning arrangement is coupled selectively to said spars of maximum downward inclination.
5. A demountable shelter structure according to claim 4 wherein said gable portions are supported on and urged upwardly by said support members.
6. A demountable shelter structure according to any preceding claim wherein at least some of said roof spars engage respective radially oriented wedges which are supported on said support members.
7. A dernountable shelter structure according to any preceding claim wherein the roof spars include oppositely-facing longitudinal channels which accommodate radial edges of respective adjacent roof panels. I0
8. A demountable shelter structure according to any preceding claim wherein radial edges of the roof panels are overlapped and clamped by two-part roof spars having threaded fixings.
9. A demountable shelter structure according to any preceding claim, wherein the tensioning arrangement is adjustable to vary the downward force acting on the radially outer ends of the roof spars.
10. A demountable shelter structure according to any preceding claim having a polygonal wall incorporating said support members and the roof spars include main roof spars whose radially outer ends form a polygonal array.
11. A demountable shelter structure according to claim 10 wherein the roof spars further include intermediate roof spars shorter than the main roof spars, said IS intermediate roof spars being unconnected to said tensioning system.
12. A demountable shelter structure according to any preceding claim, comprising floor joist assemblies detachably located in a central floor hub.
13. A demountable shelter structure according to claim 12 wherein said floor joist assemblies comprise radial floor joists carrying foldable transverse joists which when unfolded form a polygonal floor joist structure.
14. A demountable shelter structure according to claim 12 or claim 13 wherein said central floor hub is carried on a subframe which can be levelled before assembly of the shelter structure.
15. A demountable shelter structure according to any preceding claim wherein an outer floor frame is disposed outside said wall and connects to radially-extending floor joists which project beyond said wall.
16. A demountablc shelter structure according to any preceding claim, comprising a regular polygonal array of wall pillars and a plurality of wall panel assemblies interchangeably mounted on adjacent wall pillars.
I 7. A demountable shelter structure according to claim 16, further comprising lintels mounted on said wall pillars.
18. A kit of parts for a demountable shelter structure as claimed in claim 1, the kit comprising a plurality of roof spars and a plurality of roof panels each arranged to be fitted between adjacent roof spars inclined downwardly and radiating from a central hub region, a tensioning arrangement for urging the radially outer ends of the spars downwardly and a modular wall assembly including support members for supporting the roof spars at a region intermediate their ends.
1 9. A kit of parts as claimed in claim 1 8 for a demountable shelter as claimed in any of claims Ito 17.
20. A demountable shelter arrangement comprising a plurality of demountable shelter structures as claimed in any of claims I to 17, and comprising at least one floor portion connecting adjacent shelter structures.
21. A dcmountablc shelter arrangement as claimed in claim 20 wherein the roofs of adjacent shelter structures arc connected to each other.
22. A demountable shelter structure substantially as described hereinabove with reference to Figures I to 7 of the accompanying drawings.
23. A kit of parts for a demountable shelter structure substantially as described hereinabove with reference to Figures 1 to 7c of the accompanying drawings.
24. A demountable shelter arrangement substantially as described hereinabove with reference to Figure 8 of the accompanying drawings.