BUILDING UNITS

Abstract: A portable building comprising a floor structure having two spaced, parallel, floor side beams (19,20) disposed at the sides of the floor structure and extending longitudinally of the unit, a floor deck (24) supported by the beams (19,20), two longitudinally extending skids (27) between the side beams (19,20), the undersides of the skids (27) being above the level of the underside of the side beams (19,20), the roof structure comprising two spaced roof beams (37) disposed at the sides of the roof structure and extending longitudinally of the unit, four legs (18) disposed symmetrically, two on each side of the building, each leg (18) being connected to a floor side beam (19,20), at or adjacent the bottom of the leg (18) and to a roof side beam (37), at or adjacent the top of the leg (18), each leg having a ground-engageable foot member (52) whereby the building is supportable on the foot members (52), and side and end wall panels being connected at their upper and lower ends to said roof (37) and floor (19,20) side beams respectively to provide said walls and there being a transverse compression member (48) extending between the upper ends of the legs (18) of each oppositely disposed pair of legs (18).

Description: Title: "Improvements relating to building units" This invention relates to a portable building unit for a building construction formed from one or more such portable building units, hereinafter referred to as "of the kind specified", the or each of which is a factory assembled, self-contained portable unit for delivery to a site in an assembled condition complete with floor structure, walls and roof structure, and preferably complete with all windows, doors and internal fittings. Where such units are to be assembled together either stacked on top of one another and/or arranged side-by-side or end-to-end to form a multi-unit building, provision for coupling the units together in the desired arrangement is built into the units before they leave the factory, so that the only on-site assembly work required is that of coupling the units together. U.K. Specification 1,315,132 discloses a building unit of the kind specified which has been used widely in many applicdions such as site offices on building or other construction sites, at outdoor exhibitions and sports events, and as temporary or semi-permanent office, laboratory or living accommodation. Buildings made from such units have been regarded as being essentially temporary or at most semi-permanent and the appearance of the buildings has been in line with this. The present invention is based on a new philosophy of providing essentially permanent accommodation, not by traditional methods of construction in which a building is erected on site from components such as bricks and mortar, or steel framework and cladding, but by means of factory assembled portable building units which can thus be transported to the building site and be positioned there as permanent buildings. To this end, the present invention provides a portable building unit of the kind specified wherein the floor structure comprises two spaced, parallel, floor side beams disposed at the sides of the floor structure and extending longitudinally of the unit, a floor deck supported by said beams, two longitudinally extending skids between the side beams, the undersides of the skids being above the level of the underside of the side beams, the roof structure comprising two spaced roof beams disposed at the sides of the roof structure and extending longitudinally of the unit, four legs disposed symmetrically, two on each side of the building intermediate the ends thereof, each leg being connected to a floor side beam, at or adjacent the bottom of the leg and to a roof side beam, at or adjacent the top of the leg, each leg having a ground engageable foot member whereby the building is supportable on the foot members, and side and end wall panels being connected at their upper and lower ends to said roof and floor side beams respectively to provide said walls and there being a transverse compression member extending between the upper ends of the legs of each oppositely disposed pair of legs. By virtue of providing side beams at the sides of the floor structure rather than wholly beneath the floor deck as described in U.K. Specification 1,315,132, first, the building unit may be provided with a floor level above the ground which is considerably reduced compared with the floor level obtained with a building as described in U.K. 1,315,132, e.g. as little as 32.5cm above the ground, thereby avoiding any considerable step-up into the building, and secondly, the underside of the floor structure is concealed at least from side view thus giving the unit of the present invention a much more permanent visual appearance and impression in use. Further, a unit in accordance with the invention has structural integrity afforded by the frame which includes the roof and floor side beams, the legs and importantly the transverse compression member. The roof structure may include an upper skin and a lower skin, the compression member Iying beneath the upper skin. Thus there is no part protruding above the upper skin, again giving the unit a much more permanent visual appearance and impression. The floor structure may include a plurality of cross beams, extending transversely of the unit and connected between the side beams at positions spaced longitudinally of the side beams. This adds to the strength of the floor. The cross beams may be underdrawn by lower cladding panels and the skids may also be secured to the cross beams to depend from the underside thereof, the lower cladding panels extending between the skids. Thus it will be appreciated that there will be no part between the side beams, apart from the skids, protruding below the lower cladding panels, improving the appearance of the unit from end view. If desired thermally insulating material may be disposed in the region between the floor deck and the lower panels and/or the upper and lower skins of the roof structure. The legs may be outside the walls. The floor side beams may be made of metal such as steel and may be 305mm deep. The cross beams may be made of metal such as steel. The side and end walls may each comprise a structural sandwich having inner and outer skins sandwiching therebetween, and being bonded to a rigid foam or expanded plastics material. The outer skin may be a plostics coated steel sheet and the inner skin plasterboard, with a peripheral timber frame disposed between the inner and outer skins. The floor deck may comprise a flooring grade wood particle board panel. The upper skin may comprise one or more sheets of wood particle board supported by timber joists. The inner skin may comprise a gypsum wallboard panel faced with plastic film. Each leg may have a slinging point, -which may be removable, at or adjacent its upper end whereby the building may be lifted with a crane. Preferably, each slinging point comprises an adaptor retractable into the upper end of tbe associated leg, when not in use. Where a second unit is stacked on top of the first unit, the upper unit may be secured to the lower unit using the slinging point of the lower unit, for example by bolting. The ground-engageable foot member may be spaced closely below the lowest part of the side beams, or alternatively, the ground-engagesble foot members may be engageable with the legs in a plurality of relative operative positions which permit the building unit to be supported on the foot members at a range of positions above the ground, varying from relatively close to the ground to sufficiently above the ground for a transporter, such as a lorry, to be driven under the building unit and the legs retracted until the building unit is supported on the transporter by means of the skids. The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIGURE lis a side elevation of a building embodying the invention; FIGURE 2 is an end elevation of the building of Figure 1; FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of another embodiment of the invention; FIGURE 4 is a staggered transverse cross-section through a building embodying the invention showing on the right hand side of the Figure, a section taken in way of a compression member, and on the left hand side of the building a section taken away from a compression member; FIGURE 5 is a central longitudinal cross-section through the building of Figures 1 and 2; and FIGURE 6 is an enlarged view of part of the building shown in Figure 4; FIGURE 7 is a side view of the part of the building of Figure 6. Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a portable building of generally right paralellopiped configuration having two side walls 12 and two end walls 13, a roof structure 14 and a floor structure 15. Door and window openings are provided in the walls as shown at 16 and 17 respectively. Of course, if desired, the doors and windows may be located at other positions than those shown and if desired more or less doors and windows may be provided. The building unit is also provided with four legs 18, two on each side of the unit, arranged symmetrically. Figure 3 merely shows a building unit similar to that of Figures I and 2 but of different dimensions, and having an alternative arrangement of doors and windows. Referring now particularly to Figures 4 and 5, the floor structure 15 comprises two parallel longitudinally extending floor side beams 19, 20 disposed to extend along the longitudinal sides of the floor structure. The floor side beams 19, 20 are identical and are made as rolled sections in steel and are of essentially channel configuration having inturned lips 21 at the free ends of the limbs 22 of the channel. Fastened by welding, to the side beams 19, 20 are a plurality of cross beams 23 which extend transversely of the floor structure and are located at spaced positions longitudinally of the side beams 19, 20. The cross beams 23 are provided with cut-outs 28 at each end to accommodate the limbs 22 and associated lips 21 of the side beams 19, 20. In the present example, the cross beams are 400mm apart; the cross beams and floor side beams are made from galvanised steel; the side beams 19, 20 are 305mm deep x 89mm flange with I9mm lip x 3.175mum sheet steel, giving a minimum yield stress of 220N/mm2. The cross beams are 180mm deep x 55mm flange with 12mm lip x 2.50mm sheet steel. Supported on the cross beams 23 and upper limbs 22 of end floor side beam 21 is a floor deck 24 made of flooring grode wood particle board with a fully bonded vinyl covering. However, if desired, other material may be used. The nature of the floor deck, which is 18mm thick and moisture resistant, provides the floor structure with a very solid feel and this is aided by the floor covering of 1.25mm thick vinyl. The cross beams are underdrawn with a lower cladding panel assembly comprising a plurality of bitumen impregnated fibreboard panels 25 secured to the underside of the cross beams 23. A mineral fibre insulotion mat 26 is packed between the side beams and cross beams. The cross beams 23 are connected down their length on the underside thereof 1 by two U-shaped skids 27 also made of galvanised rolled steel section and which are provided to sit on a lorry bed during transportation. If desired, the Floor can be strengthened to toke thigh loadings and If necessary supported directly on the ground along its entire length. Each wall of the building unit is formed as a panel having stressed skin structural sandwich of inner and outer skins 30, 31 which sandwich therebetween and are bonded together by means of rigid polyurethane foam 32. In addition a peripheral timber frame 33 is provided between the inner and outer skins. In the present example, the outer skin 31 comprises a coloured steel cladding, for example, galvanised sheet steel having a coloured PVC coating on the external surface to give a longer maintenance free life. The panels are seamed vertically such as described in our published Application No. 1,520,272 to give a continuous external weather barrier with no potential weaknesses for leaks. The steel is galvanised prior to the application of the PVC exterior to give added protection in the event of damage to the PVC coating. The internal skin 30 is made of gypsum wallboard with a textured vinyl wall covering giving a smort, easy-clesn internal finish. The polyurethane foam 32 is 47mm thick which gives good thermal insulation and securely bonds the skins tpgether into an effective thermal barrier guaranteeing good control over the internal environment. The gypsum wallboard inner skin gives a half hour fire resistance from the inside as standard and internal and external surfaces are designated Class 11011. In addition the wall panels have good sound attenuation. The wall panels are secured to the floor structure by suitable fasteners such as nails pneutnatically driven through the lower member of the peripheral timber fraine 33 and into a web part 34 of the floor side beams 19, 20 or a web part 35 of appropriately disposed end cross beams 23 depending upon whether the panels are side or end wall panels. In addition, angle members 36 are provided on the floor side beams and end cross beams to support the walls. At their upper ends, the side wall panels are connected, by suitable fasteners (not shown) such as wood screws, to longitudinally extending roof side beams 37 of assyinetric Z-configuration, the wall panels engaging a part 38 of a web of the beams 37 which extends perpendicular to one flange 39, thereof and which is connected at its other end by an inclined part 41 and a cranked part 42d, to a flange 40. The flanges 39, 40 at their free ends have upturned lips, the flange 39 having an out-turned lip 43 and the flange 40 having a smaller inturned lip 44. The roof side beams 37 comprise two end parts 37a, 37b (see Figures I and 3) and an intermediate part 37c. The intermediate part 37c is bolted at either end to a channel section part 41b of a fabricated assembly 41a at the top of the legs 18. One of the assemblies 41a is shown in more detail in Figures 5 and 6. One end of each of the end parts 37a, 37b are also bolted to an assembly 41a. Thus, the side beams 37 are effectively continuous along the length of the building by virtue of the channel 41b of the assembly 41a. The roof side beams 37 comprise painted galvanised rolled steel sections and the above described section provides an aesthetically pleasing facia appearance on the exterior of the building. The roof side beams 37 are made of 3.000mm thick galvanised sheet steel having a minimum yield stress of 220 N/mm2 Aport from the channel section part 41b in which channel the ends of the sections of the assymetric Z shaped roof side beams 37 are received, the assembly 41a comprises a socket part 41e in which a spigot 41d is welded, the spigot being received in the upper end of the associated leg 18. The spigots 41d are bolted inside the upper leg parts by bolts 18' and at their lower ends the legs 18 have a flanged lug 46 connected by bolts 47 to the floor side beams 19, 20. The legs, including spigot 4ld and socket part 41c extend beyond the top of the side beams 37 where they are bolted via plates 42 to a compression member 48 which exiends between the upper ends of the thus extended legs 18. Each leg 18 is over the entire length (including socket 41b) of square tubular configuration and terminates at the lower end in a foot member comprising a foot plate 52 adopted to engage the ground or lower unit in a double stack configuration. In the example illustrated, the legs 18 terminate at a position P I at the top surface of the foot plate 52, below the floor side beams 19, 20 which are at a level P2. It is also possible to provide an alternative form of foot member (not shown), having a long shank and which is connectable to the leg 18 in a plurality of positions so that the building may be supported at a desired height above the ground, for example, to permit a transporter such as a lorry to be driven beneath the building unit so that the building unit can be supported on the back of the lorry via the skids 27, in such case the legs 18 and foot members 50 may be as described in U.K. Specification 1,315,132. Lifting adaptors 51 provide slinging points for the building unit at the upper ends of the legs 18 within socket part 41c, details of which can best be seen from Figures 6 and 7. The adaptors 51 can be retracted into the sockets 41c at the upper ends of the legs when not in use, and withdrawn therefrom when required. Within the socket 41c at the upper end of the leg 18, an abutment 51b is provided which, in use, would engage an abutment Sic at the lower end of the adaptor 51. A first opening 51d is provided in adaptor 51 through which a shackle of a crane or the like may be passed when the adaptor 51 is extended, and an opening 51e is provided within the socket 41c through which a pin or bolt can be passed when the adaptor 51 is in an extended position, to prevent retraction. The adaptors 51 can rotate about their longitudinal axes 51' to align the openings 51d during lifting. If it is desired to stack another unit on top of the unit shown in the drawings, the upper unit may be secured to the lower unit by the adaptors 51, as hereinafter explained. A two-part skirting board made as an extrusion in synthetic plastics material is provided at the bottom of the internal surface of each wall and can provide a conduit for services, access to which can be gained by removing a cover part 53 from a backing part 54 thereof. A somewhat similar two-part trim arrangement is provided at the top of the walls as indicated at 55. The roof comprises a plurality of wooden joists 56 with end runners 56a and a centre wooden noggin 56b. The roof joists 56 are contoured as desired to give a desired profile to the roof, in this case a light camber. The joists 56 are at 603mm centres supported at their ends on the upper limb 39 of the roof side beams 37 and supporting a wood particle board upper skin 57, 18mm thick with a one-piece hypalon sheet 58 fully bonded to the roof deck with a neoprene latex adhesive and the edges of the sheet are bonded to the roof edges with a contact adhesive. A mineral fibre thermal insulation mat 59 is packed between the joists 56 and rests on a vinyl covered plasterboard inner skin or ceiling 60 which is secured to the underside of the joists 56. In this example the insulation 59 is 60mm thick x 400mm wide gloss fibre mat. The plasterboard ceiling 60 is 12.7mm thick and is suspended from the joists 56 by galvanised steel sections 56c which are themselves secured to the wooden joists 56. The steel sections are covered with white aluminium trim. A gutter in the form of a rigid PVC extrusion 61 is provided on the sides of the building and is fully supported along its length by a galvanised steel retention section 62 folded from essentially C-section steel sheet and fixed to the runners 56a by means of wood screws. Roof void ventilation is provided as indicated at 63 behind the gutters. A fall pipe is provided at each corner of the unit. The unit described above has structural integrity which is afforded by the steel frame which includes the roof side beams 37, floor side beams 19, 20, legs 18, fabricated assembly 41a, transverse compression members 48 and floor cross beams 23. It is to be noted that the steel compression members 48 span between the legs 18 within the roof assembly, i.e. beneath the roof deck 57 and above the lower cladding panel 60 and serve to prevent the roof being damaged during craning operations. As a result of the structure described above, the transverse structural steel members of the framework, namely the floor cross beams 23 and compression members 48, have been incorporated into the structure so as not to be visible from externally of the building, nor, internally within the habitable spoce, and accordingly the building unit is given a more permanent visual impression than was the case with the building unit described in U.K. Specification 1,315,132 where the compression members lie externally of the roof and also compared with the building described in U.K. Specification 1,493,801 wherein the legs are connected together transversely by means of beams disposed at a level below the underside of the floor structure. Consequently, because of the absence of such transverse beams beneath the floor structure, the height of the floor deck 24 above the ground in use is reduced compared with that in the above described previous buildings. Furthermore, the steel framework permits the unit to sit close to the ground without the need for damp-proofing and the relatively deep side members 19, 20, together with end panels 64, reduce air movement beneath the units therefore giving improved floor insulation. The end panels 64 are preferably pivot ally Inounted so as to pivot when the unit is to be transported on a lorry so as to enable the skids 27 to engage the deck of the lorry without interference by the end panel 64 as a result of the end panel 64 pivoting upwardly. Thus the final securing of the lower ends of the panels 64 by pneumatic nailing as hereinbefore described or alternatively, a latch plate, may be carried out on site. Whilst the doors and windows 16, 17 may be of any desired construction, it is preferred that the door 16 comprises a panel of essentially similar construction to the side panels, namely inner and outer skins of the materials described hereinbefore with rigid polyurethane foam sandwiched therebetween. The windows preferably have a top hung opening action and the window glass may be unprovided with any peripheral frame having hinges secured directly to the glass and the glass sealing onto a suitable seal strip provided on the frame in the wall of the building unit. Of course, in such a case the windows would be made of a suitable toughened or laminated glass. The window frame which clamps to the wall is preferably of extruded aluminiurn and provided with a thermal break to reduce condensation on the frame and a channel is provided in the frame so that any condensation on the glass is channelled to the outside of the building unit. If desired double glazing may be provided although in this case, the gloss would need to be provided with a peripheral frame. The building unit described hereinbefore can be linked and double stacked to form larger complexes and if double stacked there will be no obvious gap between the upper and lower units due to the presence of the side beams 19, 20 and end panels 64. Stacking of the units may be achieved by providing in the foot members of the upper building unit, openings to receive the adaptors 51 of the lower unit, and openings may be provided in the lower part of the upper leg to receive a bolt or pin through the opening, which pin or bolt engages the opening 51d of the associated adaptor 51. The building unit illustrated in Figures I and 2 has an overall length of approximately 9.9m and an internal width of 3.79m, an overall width of 4.26m, giving a floor area of 36.38m2. The legs are at 7.2mm centres. Building units in accordance with the invention may be of any different size, for example may be approximately 5.ism long and 2.92m internal width giving a floor area of 14.02m2, or alternatively may be 18.3m long with an internal width of 3.79m giving a floor area of 68.22m2 and having a leg spacing of 9.6m. Such a building unit is shown in Figure 3. The building units may, of course, be constructed in a range of sizes above, below and between those mentioned above. The features disclosed in the foregoing description, in the following claims and/or in the accompanying drawings may, both separately and in any combination thereof, be material for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims: CLAIMS: 1. A self-contained portable building unit of the kind which is factory assembled complete with floor structure, walls (12,13) and roof structure, and windows, doors and internal fittings for delivery to a site in an assembled condition, characterised in that the floor structure comprises two spaced, parallel, floor side beams (19,20) disposed at the sides of the floor structure and extending longitudinally of the unit, a floor deck (24) supported by said beams (19,20), two longitudinally extending skids (27) between the side beams (I 9,20), the undersides of the skids (27) being above the level of the underside of the side beams (19,20), the roof structure comprising two spoced roof beams (37) disposed at the sides of the roof structure and extending longitudinally of the unit, four legs (18) disposed symmetrically, two on each side of the unit intermediate the ends thereof, each leg (18) being connected to a floor side beam (37), at or adjacent the bottom of the leg (18) and to a roof side beam (37), at or adjacent the top of the leg (it), each leg having a ground-engageable foot member (52) whereby the unit is supportable on the foot members (52), and side and end wall panels being connected at their upper and lower ends to said roof beams (37) and floor side beams (19,20) respectively to provide said walls (12,13) and there being a transverse compression member (48) extending between the upper ends of the legs (18) of each oppositely disposed pair of legs (18). 2. A unit according to Claim I characterised in that the roof structure includes an upper skin (57), and a lower skin (60) and the compression member (48) lies beneath the upper skin (57). 3. A unit according to Claim I or Claim 2 characterised in that the floor structure includes a plurality of cross beams (23), extending transversely of the unit and connected between the side beams (19,20) at positions spaced longitudinally of the side beams (19,20) the cross beams (23) being underdrawn by a lower cladding panel (25). 4. A unit according to Claim 3 characterised in that the skids (27) are secured to the cross beams (23) to depend from the underside thereof. 5. A unit according to Claim 3 or Claim 4 characterised in that a thermally insulating material (26; 59) is disposed in the region between the floor deck (24) and the lower panel (25), and/or the upper (57) and lower (60) skins of the roof structure. 6. A unit according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the legs (18) are outside the walls (12,13). 7. A unit according to any one of Claims 3 to 6 characterised in that the floor side beams (19.20) and the cross beams (23) are made of metal. 8. A unit according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the side and end wall panels each comprise a structural sandwich having inner (30) and outer (31) skins sandwiching therebetween, and being bonded to a rigid foam (32) or expanded plastics material. 9. A unit according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in thot each leg (18) has a slinging point, at or adjacent its upper end, the slinging points each comprising an adaptor (51) retractable into the upper end of the associated leg (18), when not in use, and are rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the associated legs (18). 10. A unit according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the ground-engagesble foot members (52) are spaced closely below the underside of the floor side beams(19,20). II. A unit according to any one of Claims I to 9 characterised in that the ground-engogeable foot members (52) are engageable with the leg (18) in a plurality of relative operative positions which permit the building unit to be supported on the foot members (52) in a range of positions above the ground, varying from relatively close to the ground to sufficiently above the ground for a transporter, to be driven under the building unit and the legs (18) retracted until the building unit is supported on the transporter by means of the skids (27).

Inventors: SHEPHERD, DONALD WELTON, STERICKER, STEPHEN WENTWORTH, VARLEY, DAVID NICHOLAS
Applicants: PORTAKABIN LIMITED
Application year: 1983
Main classification: E04B1
IPC codes: E04B1