Patent ID: 6385920
Filing Date: 2002-05-14
Classification: E04H,Y02A

Abstract:
An emergency storm shelter comprising:an elongated cylinder having two ends, said elongated cylinder formed by a cylinder wall, said cylinder wall having an interior wall surface and an exterior wall surface, two ends and a center axis extending therethrough; a pair of end caps in sealed communication with said two ends of said elongated cylinder; a center cavity having a center axis therethrough said center cavity defined by the area between said interior wall surface and said two endcaps; at least one access tube formed of a tube wall, said access tube having an entry end an attachment end, said access tube having an interior passage communicating therethrough defined by the interior surface of said tube wall, the point of communication of said interior passage with said entry end and said attachment end; said attachment end in sealed communication with said cylinder wall with said interior passage communicating with said center cavity through said cylinder wall; said access tube adapted to extend above the surface of the ground in which the elongated cylinder is to be buried and into a living area of an adjacent structure; means for closure of said entry end; means for ingress from said interior living area of said adjacent structure through said interior passage to said center cavity for intended occupants of said center cavity; means for egress from said interior cavity for said intended occupants; means for separation of a determined portion of said access tube adjacent to said entry end at a determined shear force acting thereon; and whereby, said emergency storm shelter may be mounted below the surface of the ground, adjacent to said structure having the interior living area for occupants defined by an above ground floor and the walls and roof of said structure, and thereby allow emergency access to said center cavity for said occupants of said interior living area of said structure through said access tube, thereby eliminating the need to exit said structure first.