Abstract:
A storm shelter ( 20 ) is provided which includes a front wall ( 22 ), rear wall ( 24 ), and retractable side wall ( 28, 30 ) and top wall ( 26 ) assemblies, whereby the shelter to be easily deployed and thereafter stowed between a retracted storage condition and an expanded use condition. The front wall ( 22 ) is equipped with a door ( 38 ), which can be selectively locked or unlocked so as to allow opening of the door from the inside or outside of the shelter. The shelter ( 20 ) is particularly useful when installed in a basement, garage, residence, commercial or industrial building, school or other habitable area, and provides excellent safety and security.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention is concerned with a storm shelter for protecting occupants against violent weather such as hurricanes and tornados. More particularly, it is concerned with a storm shelter which is selectively expandable and retractable between a retracted or folded storage position and an expanded use position. The preferred storm shelters of the invention are particularly suited for use in interior confined areas, such as basements. In particularly preferred embodiments, the storm shelter may be provided with armor which allows the storm shelter to be used as a safe room for protection against intruders. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    Traditionally, persons seeking shelter from violent weather such as tornados, hurricanes and the like sought protection in underground areas such as shelters dug into the earth or basements. These traditional storm shelters used the surrounding earth and/or concrete walls and either framed or concrete ceilings to protect the occupants from the consequences of violent weather such as high winds, flying debris, and falling or collapsing structures. 
         [0005]    More recently, various designs for storm shelters have been developed either as stand-alone shelters or which augment traditional basements or storm shelters dug into the earth. Examples of these more recent designs for storm shelters include those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,481,837, 5,953,866, 6,085,475, 6,131,343, 6,385,920, 6,401,403, 6,401,409, D466,220, 6,948,281, 7,797,888, D640,390 and 8,176,692. 
         [0006]    The desire for additional protection within a structure intended for human occupation is not limited to protection against inclement weather. There may also arise a need for protecting the occupants of structures against intruders, such as those carrying firearms or other weapons which threaten the safety of occupants. So-called “safe rooms” have been constructed to provide such protection. 
         [0007]    While both traditional and the aforementioned more recent designs for storm shelters and so-called safe rooms provide improved protection against violent weather and/or intruders, they suffer a common drawback in that whether above or below ground, they occupy considerable space and/or require excavation or expensive construction. 
         [0008]    Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a simplified, relatively low cost storm shelter design which can be unobtrusively stored in a retracted or folded condition, but which can be readily opened to an expanded use position to provide shelter on a moment&#39;s notice. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The present invention overcomes the problems outlined above, and provides a high-strength storm shelter, which can be readily moved between a retracted or folded storage position and an expanded use position presenting an enclosed space. The shelter may be used in an indoor location such as a basement, or may be used in outdoor locations. The shelter includes a back wall, an opposed front wall, and a top wall. A pair of laterally spaced apart sidewall assemblies operably interconnect the back and front walls in order to permit selective movement of one of the front and back walls relative to the other between a retracted storage position wherein the front and back walls are relatively proximal to each other, and an expanded use position wherein the front and back wall are relatively spaced from each other. Preferably, the back wall is designed to be stationary and to be affixed to a floor and/or wall, with the front wall, top wall, and said sidewall assemblies retractable relative to the back wall. 
         [0010]    In preferred practice, the front wall is equipped with an openable door and locking structure, and the sidewall assemblies are centrally hinged so as to retract or fold inwardly when the shelter is in its storage position. Likewise, the top wall has a pair of panels hinged so that, as the shelter is retracted, the top wall panels pivot to a retracted position. 
         [0011]    The shelter may be used in the event of anticipated violent weather, or alternately as a safe room. In the latter event, the components of the shelter may be formed of heavy duty armor metal. But, in any case, the shelters of the invention may be easily moved between the retracted and expanded positions thereof. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a storm shelter in accordance with the invention, illustrating the shelter in its fully expanded, use configuration; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of storm shelter illustrated in  FIG. 1 , viewing one sidewall and the rear wall of the shelter; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is another bottom perspective view of the storm shelter illustrated in  FIG. 1 , viewing one sidewall and the front wall of the shelter; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the shelter in its retracted condition, viewing the inner face of the front wall of the shelter; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the shelter in its fully expanded, use position, with the front entrance door being open; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a rear perspective view of the shelter illustrated in  FIG. 5 , and viewing the rear wall thereof; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a front perspective view of the shelter, shown in a partially expanded position to depict the retractable, inwardly foldable sidewalls of the shelter; 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a fragmentary top view of the partially expanded shelter illustrated in  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a side view of the shelter illustrated in  FIGS. 7-8 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  is a fragmentary rear perspective view of the shelter in its fully retracted condition to illustrate the details of the foldable, retractable sidewalls; 
           [0022]      FIG. 11  is a rear perspective view of the shelter in its fully retracted, storage position; 
           [0023]      FIG. 12  is a bottom view of the fully retracted shelter illustrated in  FIG. 11 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 13  is a side view of the fully retracted shelter illustrated in  FIGS. 10-11 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 14  is a fragmentary, perspective, exploded view of the outer face of the entrance door of the shelter, showing components of the locking mechanism for the door; and 
           [0026]      FIG. 15  is a fragmentary, perspective, exploded view of the inner face of the entrance door of the shelter, and showing the locking mechanism for the door. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0027]    Turning now to the drawings, a storm shelter  20  is illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3  in its fully expanded, use position. Generally speaking, the shelter  20  includes a front wall  22 , an opposed rear wall  24 , a top wall assembly  26 , and a pair of laterally spaced apart sidewall assemblies  28  and  30 . As illustrated, in the expanded or use position, the shelter  20  provides an internal space or region  32  of sufficient size to hold and protect several individuals. 
         [0028]    In more detail, the front wall  22  includes a segmented outer panel  34  having a central doorway  36  with a swingable door  38  mounted therein on an upright, heavy duty piano hinge  40 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , for example, the outer panel  34  may include outboard outer panel sections  34   a  and an intermediate outer panel section  34   b  located above doorway  36 . As best illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the panel  34  is supported on an internal frame including a bottom rail  42  and a pair of upright, bolted together, vertical reinforcements  44  and  46  respectively located on opposite sides of doorway  36 , and a segmented top panel  48  having the segments thereof interconnected by means of inner and outer connector plates  50 , and with the outboard segments equipped with slots  51 . The bottom rail  42  may be mounted by bolts  41  extending through upright slots  43  through the outer panel  34  and plates  45  secured to the bottom rail  42  and held by nuts  47  whereby the bottom rail  42  may be adjusted relative to the outer panel  34  to accommodate a slope or uneven surface in a supporting surface. The front wall  22  also has, adjacent each lateral end thereof, an inner, rearwardly and transversely extending box beams  52 , and an outer, rearwardly and transversely extending side marginal plate  54 ; a wheel  56  is mounted to each marginal plate  54  for purposes to be described. The forward edge of top panel  48  is equipped with an elongated, upstanding abutment plate  58 , whereas the rearward edge thereof has a laterally extending tension bar  59  which provides reinforcement and aids the connector plates  50  in retaining the segments of the top panel  48  in a connected, side-by-side position. 
         [0029]    The rear wall  24  is in opposition to front wall  24  and includes an imperforate, segmented rear panel  60  interconnected by means of an internal, interconnected grid of vertically and horizontally extending reinforcements  62  and  64 . The panel  60  also has a pair of forwardly extending side marginal plates  66 , and a forwardly extending top panel  68 . An abutment plate  70  is secured to the upper margin of panel  60 , as shown. The bottom edges of the panel  60  and marginal plates  66  have interconnected, inwardly extending floor connection flanges  72 , which receive connectors  74 . As explained below, the flanges  72  effectively form the connection base for the shelter  20 . 
         [0030]    Top wall assembly  26  is made up of a pair of laterally extending, front and rear top panels  76  and  78  interconnected by means of an elongated piano hinge  80 . A pair of identical, elongated links  82  are respectively pivoted to each of the side marginal plates  66  and the adjacent end of piano hinge  80 . The forward end of panel  76  has an elongated, outwardly extending, generally L-shaped leg  84 , and similarly the rearward edge of panel  78  is equipped with an elongated, rearwardly extending, L-shaped leg  86 . As explained in more detail below, when the shelter  20  is expanded from its retracted to its expanded, use position, the top wall assembly  28  extends outwardly by virtue of the pivoting of the links  82  and the action of piano hinge  80 , in order to cover the internal space or region  32 . 
         [0031]    The sidewall assemblies  28  and  30  are mirror images of each other, and thus only a single such assembly need be described. In particular, the sidewall assembly  28  includes upright front and rear panels  88  and  90  interconnected by means of a vertically extending central piano hinge  92 . The forward edge of panel  88  is pivotally connected to the adjacent box beam  52  by means of upright piano hinge  94 ; likewise, the rear edge of panel  90  is pivotally connected to the endmost vertical reinforcement  62  via hinge  96 . In order to maintain the sidewalls in the extended use position thereof, the interior surface of the panels  88 ,  90  are equipped with generally U-shaped clips  97 , which receive cross-braces  97   a , which extends substantially the full distance between the front and rear walls  22 ,  24  ( FIG. 2 ). 
         [0032]    The door  38  is provided with a locking arrangement, which allows the door to be opened from either the inside or the outside of the shelter. Specifically, the door  38  has a handle  98  and three vertically spaced apart substantially L-shaped slots  100 . The interior of the door has three identical locking assemblies  102 . Each such assembly includes an elongated, tubular guide  104 , a spaced abutment plate  106 , and an L-shaped locking member  108  equipped with an outwardly extending operator rod  110 . Additionally, a vertical locking plate  112  is provided adjacent doorway  36  and has three vertically spaced apart, strategically located locking apertures  114  therethrough. In order to lock  38  when the shelter is in its expanded use configuration, each of the locking members  108  are manipulated individually, to first align the operator rod  110  thereof with a corresponding slot  100 , followed by rotation of the member  108  to align the end thereof with the adjacent guide  104 . Thereupon, the member  108  is rotated with the operator rod  110  within the slot  100 , and the member  108  is then axially slid along the length of the slot to cause the member  108  to pass through guide  104  and into the adjacent locking aperture  114 . In the final step, the member  108  is rotated downwardly to come into close adjacency with the abutment plate  106 . In this condition, the door  38  is firmly locked and inadvertent movement of the member  108  is prevented by means of the plate  106 . As can be appreciated, the door  38  may be opened by reversing this procedure from inside the shelter  20 . However, the door may also be opened by manipulation of the operator rods  110  from the exterior of the shelter. In the event that the shelter  20  is to be used as a safe room, the locking members  108  may be manipulated in the same fashion to lock door  38 , except that the rods  110  remain inside the enclosure so that an intruder does not have the ability to open door  38 . 
         [0033]    In the use of storm shelter  20 , the unit is first securely attached to a concrete or similar floor, such as the floor  116  illustrated in  FIG. 1 , through use of the connectors  74  passed through the connection base afforded by the flanges  72 . The shelter may be retracted or expanded, as desired by the user. In the expanded condition ( FIGS. 1-3  and  5 - 6 ), the front wall  22  is fully separated from the rear wall  24 ; the sidewall assemblies  28  and  30  are likewise fully extended; and the top wall assembly is fully extended. In more detail, as the front wall  22  is shifted forwardly, it rolls on the wheels  56  over the floor surface, and the panels  88  and  90  of the sidewall assemblies move from a retracted position to a fully extended position by appropriate pivoting of the hinges  92 - 96 . Furthermore, during this sequence, the links  82  pivot the top wall panels  76  and  78  through the medium of the central hinge  80  until the respective legs  84  and  86  come into contact respectively with the top panels  48  and  68 . In this manner, interior space or region  32  of the shelter is formed and is completely surrounded by the structure of the shelter. The occupants can then enter the shelter through doorway  36  and close and lock the door  38 , as previously described using the locking assemblies  102 . In order to ensure that the shelter is maintained in its expanded position, cross-braces  97   a  are placed within the sidewall clips  97 . 
         [0034]    When the occupants desire to leave the shelter  20 , the locking assemblies  102  are released and the door  38  is opened. Thereupon, to store the storm shelter  20  in a minimized volume condition, the front wall  22  can be pushed toward rear wall  24 . As this occurs, the sidewall assemblies  28  and  30  fold together and top wall assembly  26  simultaneously retracts. Specifically, the front and rear top panels  76  and  78  pivot together through the medium of central hinge  80  and links  82 . The latter being accommodated by the slots  51 . Simultaneously, the sidewall assembly panels  88  and  90  retract by folding inwardly around the hinges  92 - 96 . In the fully retracted condition of the shelter  20  ( FIGS. 10-13 ), the side marginal plates  54  of the front wall  22  form the outer margin of the shelter, with the rear wall marginal plates  66  inboard thereof. The L-shaped legs  84 ,  86  of the front and rear top panels  76 ,  78  also come into engagement with the abutment plates  58  and  70  ( FIG. 13 ). 
         [0035]    It will also be appreciated that an additional supporting connection can be afforded the shelter  20  by connecting rear panel  60  to an upright wall. This additional connection does not detract from the operability of the shelter  20  and is sometimes recommended in order to provide a maximum strength and security. 
         [0036]    Additionally, it will be understood that the components of the shelter  20  are preferably formed of high-strength metal, particularly if it is anticipated that the shelter will be used as a safe room. If further protection and security is desired, additional armor plates can be connected to the structure or ballistic fabric such as Kevlar blankets could be installed by the occupants on the interior of the front wall, sidewalls and top wall assembly. Even with heavy duty armor materials, the shelter can be readily expanded or retracted without difficulty.