IMPROVEMENTS IN SUPPORTS FOR STRUCTURES AND STRUCTURES INCORPORATING SUCH SUPPORTS

Abstract: A support (10) has an inner part (12) teiescoped within an outer part (11) with one of said inner (12) and outer (11) parts having means to secure the part to a structure to be supported, the other of said inner (12) and outer (11) parts having a foot (13) for engagement with the ground, the inner (12) or outer (11) part having along its length a series of openings (17), each opening being capable of receiving an axle (18) of a cam means (20), the cam means (20) further including an eccentric cam (21) which acts on the outer or inner support part respectively, and lever means (26) to rotate the cam (21) and hence cause telescopic extension of the telescoped parts, locking means (27) being provided to prevent telescopic retraction of the parts (11,12) when the inner (12) and outer (11) parts are in selected relative positions, characterised in that the inner (12) or outer (11) part on which the cam bears has first (14) and second (25) abutments at positions displaced longitudinally of the sup­ port (10), and the cam (21) is engageable with the first (14) and second (25) abutments selectively.

Description: Title: "Improvements in supports for structures and structures incorporating such supports" This invention relates to a support for supporting a structure on the ground or other support surface, hereinafter for convenience referred to as "the ground". The structure supported may, for example, comprise either a building or building unit of the type which is prefabricated and delivered to a prepared site, either in fully erected form or in the form of a knock-down pack. Such a structure will hereinafter be referred to as "a building structure". It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that a support in accordance with the invention may however be used to support other structures, but for the sake of brevity, the invention will be described hereinafter in relation to a building structure. It is known to provide a building structure with one or more supports which are telescopically adjustable so that the structure can be raised and lowered relative to the ground to enable the structure to be loaded onto or unloaded from the deck of a lorry for example. One support for such a structure is disclosed in British Patent No. 982,839. In the arrangements described telescopic extension or retraction of the support is achieved using a cam which engages an abutment of the outer telescoping part of the structure, and is pivotable relative to the inner telescoping part. When the support has been extended/retracted a set distance substantially equal to the maximum movement which can be attained by the cam in that position, a pin is inserted in an opening in the inner telescoping part, the pin being engaged by the outer telescoping part to relatively lock the inner and outer parts together. The pivot of the cam is then shifted so that the cam can again act on the abutment to extend the support by a further set distance. The cam is usually rotated manually by a lever and the set distances are usually about 50mm. The inner telescoping part of the support is therefore usually provided along its length with a series of openings at 50mm spacings. However, problems arise with very heavy structures in that the mechanical advantage of the cam, even using a lever, is insufficient to permit easy rotation of the cam to effect lifting and controlled lowering of the structure. It is not possible simply to decrease the spacing of the openings provided in the inner telescoping part, and to adjust the cam profile to achieve smaller set distances of movement because the additional openings needed would substantially weaken the inner telescoping part, which needs to be as strong as possible for very heavy structures. It is an object of the present invention to provide a new or improved support for a structure. According to one aspect of the invention, we provide a support having an inner part telescoped within an outer part with one of said inner and outer parts having means to secure the part to a structure to be supported, the other of said inner and outer parts having a foot for engagement with the ground, the inner or outer part having along its length a series of openings, each opening being capable of receiving an axle of a cam means, the cam means further including an eccentric cam which acts on the outer or inner support part respectively, and lever means to rotate the cam and hence cause telescopic extension of the telescoped parts, locking means being provided to prevent telescopic retraction of the parts when the inner and outer parts are in selected relative positions, the inner or outer part on which the cam bears having first and second abutments at positions displaced longitudinally of the support, and the cam being engageable with the first and second abutments selectively. Thus the outer telescoped part can be relatively telescoped a first set distance by engaging the cam with the first abutment, and a second set distance thereafter by engaging the cam with the second abutment.The series of openings in the inner telescoped member are prefereably regulÅarly spaced, in which case the first and second set distances may add up to a total set distance equivalent to the spacing between the openings in the inner telescoped member. Hence the mechanical advantage achieved by the cam can be increased so that the first and second set distances of relative movement between the inner and outer telescoped parts are small over the entire travel of the cam whilst the total distance may be sufficiently large that an excessive number of openings in the inner or outer telescoped part are not required. The first and second abutments, as well as being longitudnal!y displaced, may be transversely displaced, the cam being transversely moved, for example along its axis of rotation, to enable the cam to engage either the first or the second abutments. The locking means may need to be employed to provide support whilst the transverse movement of the cam is carried out. The telescoped part on which the cam bears may be provided with an aperture which can be aligned with each of the openings of the series of openings of the other telescoped part, and the locking means, which may be a pin or the like, may, in use, be received in the aperture and an aligned one of the series of openings, to relatively lock the inner and outer parts against telescopic retraction. However, because the first and second set distances are each less than the spacing between the openings of the series of openings in a preferred embodiment two apertures are provided in the part on which the cam bears, each aperture extending longitudinally of the support, a distance substantially equal to the first or the second set distance, whichever is the greater, although usually the first and second set distances and hence the extent of each of the apertures would be substantially equal. In this way, the pin may be moved from one aperture to the other whilst the telescoped part on which the cam bears is supported relative to the other telescoped part by the cam means, and the longitudinal and transverse positions of the cam can be moved whilst the telescoped parts are supported against retraction by the locking means received in either one of the apertures, whichever is suitably aligned with an opening of the series of openings. The first abutment may be provided on the outer telescoped part and may comprise a bearing surface at the end of the outer telescoped part in which the inner part is received and the second abutment may comprise a bearing block secured at the end of the outer part. If desired, stop means may be provided between the first and second abutments to prevent inadvertent transverse movement of the cam. Preferably, the cam means includes a second eccentric cam, the first mentioned cam and the second cam being located on opposite sides of the support, the telescoped part having the first and second abutments having further abutments with which the second cam can be engaged, the first and second cams being of identical profile and being movable integrally. For example, the first and second cams may each comprise one leg of a U-shaped stirrup to which the lever is connected, the axle being insertable in aligned bores in the cams through a selected aligned opening in the telescoped part in which the series of openings are provided. Thus on one side of the support, the first abutment may lie more closely to the longitudinal axis of the support whilst on the other side of the support the second abutment may lie more closely to the longitudinal axis of the support. Preferably, neither the first or second set distance is greater than 25mm for a 600 rotation of the cam or cams. The foot on which the support rests may comprise the bottom surface of the outer end of the telescoped part on which it is provided, but preferably comprises a plate secured to the bottom surface, the plate being of larger cross-sectional area than the support to spread the load transmitted through the support to the ground. The inner and outer telescoped parts may both be of square crosssection, although one or both of the inner and outer parts could be round or of any other desired cross-sectional configuration. The support according to the first aspect of the invention enables a novel method of adjusting the height of a structure above the ground to be carried out, and thus it is another object of the invention to provide a new or improved adjustment method. According to a second aspect of the invention, we provide a method of adjusting the height of a structure above the ground utilising a support according to the first aspect of the invention, said method including the steps of inserting the axle of the cam means in one of the openings of the telescoped pert in which the series of openings are provided, rotating the eccentric cam or cams using the lever, about the axle thereof with the or each cam bearing on the or the respective first abutment of the other telescoped part to cause telescoping of the parts to a selected relative position, engaging the locking means to prevent telescopic retraction of the parts, rotating the cam or cams using the lever with the or each cam bearing on the second abutment to cause further telescopic extension of the parts to a further selected relative position. Preferably the locking means is again then engaged to prevent telescopc retraction of the parts beyond said further relative position. The method may include the step of moving the cam or cams transversely after the locking means is first engaged, to bring the cam or cams to bear on the or the respective second abutment. Where a stop mesno is provided between the or at least one of the first and second abutment tprevent inadvertent transverse movement of the cam which bears on the abutments, if necessary, a movement of the cam may also be required when transversely moving the cam to bear on the second abutment, to enable the cam to clear the stop means. The invention is particularly applicable to supporting a building structure and hence it is another object of the invention to provide a new or improved building structure when supported by a support according to the first aspect of the invention. The building structure may have four supports symmetrically arranged around the structure, each of the supports comprising a support in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, or the structure may have less than or more than four supports. The invention will now be described with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE I is a side view of part of a support in accordance with the first aspect of the invention; FIGURE 2 is a front view partly in section, showing the cam means of the support of Figure I engaged with a first abutment; FIGURE 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the cam means engaged with a second abutment; FIGURES 4a, 4b and 4e show stages in a method of adjusting a support according to the second aspect of the invention with the cam means omitted for clarity. Referring first to Figures 1 to 3, a support 10 comprises an outer telescoped part 11 and an inner telescoped part 12, both parts 11 and 12 being generally square in cross-section and there being sufficient clearance between the inner and outer parts 11, 12 to permit easy sliding of the inner part within the outer part. The outer part II has means (not shown) to enable the part II tq be secured to the building structure to be supported. Such means may comprise plates, welded or otherwise attached, to the outer part 11, which plates may have means to receive bolts which engage the structure. At the lower end of the inner part 12 welded or otherwise secured to the bottom of part 12, there is provided a foot 13 comprising a rectangular plate which, in use, spreads the load transmitted through the support to the ground. Alternatively, the bottom of part 12 could itself provide a foot. A first abutment comprising a bearing surface 14 is provided by a plate 15 secured to the bottom surface of the outer part II. The plate 15 has a cut out 16 therein through which the inner part 12 slides. The inner part 12 has provided therein a series of openings 17, only one of which is shown in Figure I, the openings 17 each extending right through the inner member 12 and being of substantially circular configuration. Where the inner member 12 is solid, the openings 17 would be provided as through bores, but in a preferred embodiment where the inner part 12 is provided as a box or other hollow section, the openings 17 are provided by aligned openings in opposite sides of the section. Further alternatively; the openings may be provided by formations attached to or formed in or on the part 12. Received in the openings 17, as shown in Figure 1, is an axle 18 of a cam means 20, the cam means further comprising first and second extension cams 21 which each provide a leg of a U-shaped stirrup, the cams 21 extending either side of the support 10 as can best be seen in Figures 2 and 3, with the axle 18 passing through aligned bores 22 in each of the cams 20. The cams 21 and axle 18 are a loose fit and hence transverse movement of the cams 21 along the axle 18 as well as a rotational movement about the axle 18 is permitted. The cams 21 each have identical eccentric profiles 24 which as can best be seen in Figure 2, bear on the bearing surface 14 on the underside of plate 15. Hence rotation of the cams 21 about the axle 18 causes telescopic extension of the outer part II relative to the inner part 12 as the point of engagement of the bearing surface 14 and the eccentric cam profiles 24 varies. The cam profiles 24 are of such configuration that a 600 rotation of the cams 21 will cause a 25mm vertical distance of movement between the outer part 11 and inner part 12 of the support 10. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 3, the cam profiles 24 can each be engaged with a second abutment comprising a bearing block 25 which is secured to the underside of plate 15. Again, if such position is adopted, a 600 movement of cams 21 would provide a 25mm vertical distance of movement between the outer part 11 and the inner part 12 of the support 10. The distances moved are small, i.e. only 25mm. To assist rotation of the cams 21, the stirrup is secured to a lever 26 which extends upwardly, the large movement of the lever, carried out to achieve a 600 cam rotation, particularly as the lever is long, affording the operator a large mechanical advantage and hence rotation of the cams 21 is achieved without undue resistance. To give support to plate 15 and first outer part II to the structure, 3 fixing plate 23 is welded or otherwise secured to the support 10. Referring now to Figures 4a, 4b and 4c, a locking means comprising a pin 27 is shown which is provided to prevent telescopic retraction of the inner part 1 2 relative to the outer part II once the inner and outer telescoped parts have been moved by rotation of the cams 21 to their relative set positions. In Figures 4a, 4b and 4c, a plurality of the series of openings 17 can be seen. These openings are spaced apart by 50mm, i.e. a distance twice the distance of movement which can be achieved by a single rotation of the cams 21 through a full 60 when engaged with either surface 14 or block 25. Provided in the outer part II are two apertures 28, 29 comprising slots. The slots 28 and 29 each extend longitudinally of the support 10 for a distance of about 45mm. Further, the slots 28, 29 are spaced apart by a distance S of about 30mm. Referring first to Figure 4a, the locking pin 27 is at the upper end of the upper slot 28 and hence the load, i.e. the weight of the structure which is transmitted through the outer part 11, is transmitted to pin 27 and from pin 27 to the inner part 12 and hence to the foot 13. To raise the height of the structure above the ground, the following method is adopted. Starting from the Figure 4a position, with the cams 21, (which are not shown in Figures 4a, 4b and 4c for clarity), being in engagement with the first abutments provided by the bearing surface 14, the cams 21 are rotated through their full 600. This will bring the openings 17 and slots 28 and 29 to the positions shown in Figure 4b. It can be seen that an opening designated 17a is now aligned with the upper part of the lower slot 29. Hence, while the load is supported by the cams 21, the locking pin 27 can be removed from its original position and re-engaged in the opening 17a and slot 29. Now the load may be transmitted from the outer part II through the pin 27 in the opening 17a to the inner part 12 and the cams 21 need not further support the load. Thus, the cams 21 may be disengaged from engagement with the first abutment 14 whilst the load is supported by the re-engaged locking pin 27. Now the cam means 20 can be transversely moved along axle 18 to bring each of the cams 21 into engagement with second abutments provided by the bearing blocks 25. It can be seen in Figures 2 and 3 that between the first abutment 14 and the second abutment 25 at one side of the support 10 only, a stop meons 30 is provided to ensure that the cams 21 cannot move transversely inadvertently. Hence it is necessary to rotate the cams 21 to allow the cams to clear the stop 30 in order that the cams can be moved to the position shown in Figure 3. Further, to provide easier rotation and alignment of the cams 21, spacers 31 are provided on the inner sides 32 of the cams 21. Now, further rotation of the cams 21 will result in a further movement between the inner part 12 and outer part II. This movement will cause opening 17a to adopt the Figure 4c position, i.e. at the bottom of slot 29 and hence the locking pin 27 will no longer play any part in transmitting the load through the support. It can be seen in Figure 4c that a further opening 17b is now aligned with the upper part of slot 28. Hence again, with the load being supported by the cams 21, the locking pin 27 can be removed from opening 17a and reengaged in opening 17b. Now the load may be transmitted from the outer part II through the pin 27 when in aperture 17b to the inner part 12 and hence to the foot 13, and the cams 21 can be rotated to release the profiles 24 thereof from engagement with the second abutments provided by the bearing blocks 25. The cam means 20 can be released from engagement with the inner port 12 by removing the axle 18 thereof and withdrawing the U-shaped stirrup, and the cam means 20 re-engaged by inserting axle 18 through the openings in the cams 21 and through the next up opening 17 in the inner member 12. It can be seen from Figures 4a, 4b and 4c that the total movement of the outer part II relative to the inner part 12 as described is the total of the two smaller distances, i.e. 50mm in all which is the distance between openings 17. The method described can be repeated to raise the building structure a further 25mm or 50mm or whole number multiple of 25mm. Of course many modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the scope thereof. For example, the inner and outer parts 11 and 12 need not be substantially square in cross-section but one or both could be of other cross-sections, e.g. round. Although as described two cams 21 have been provided, each comprising one leg of a U-shaped stirrup, if desired only one cam need be provided on one side of the support, or two cams may be provided not on a stirrup, although the described arrangement is preferred. Instead of locking pins 27, any other means for locking the inner and outer parts relatively whilst adjusting the position of the cam means 20 longitudinally and/or transversely, could be used. Although the first and second abutments have been described as being provided by first the bearing surface 14 on the underside of a plate 15, and secondly a bearing block 25 secured to the underside of the plate 15, if desired one of the abutments could be provided by the bottom edge of the outer part 11, and the other abutment by a cut-out in that bottom edge, or by an abutment welded or otherwise secured to the outer part II. Although as described, the distances of movement achieved for a 600 cam rotation have been 25mm and the distance between the openings 17 in the inner part have been described as being 50mm, of course other arrangements are possible. As described, the inner part 12 has been provided with the series of openings, and the cams 21 bear on the outer telescoped part. In another arrangement, the cams may bear on the inner telescoped part in which case the outer telescoped part may have a series of openings to support the axle of the cam means. Further, where the invention has been described in relation to raising the height of a structure, the support 10 described and the method described wth the steps thereof carried out in the opposite order, could be used for controlled lowering of the height of the structure. The invention is particularly applicable to a building structure, but could be used in supporting other structures as required.

Claims: CLAIMS: I. A support (10) having an inner part (12) telescoped within an outer part (I I) with one of said inner (12) and outer (I I) parts having means to secure the part to a structure to be supported, the other of said inner (12) and outer (I I) parts having a foot (13) for engagement with the ground, the inner (12) or outer (II) part having along its length a series of openings (17), each opening being capable of receiving an axle (18) of a cam means (20), the cam means (20) further including an eccentric cam (21) which acts on the outer or inner support part respectively, and lever means (26) to rotate the cam (21) and hence cause telescopic extension of the telescoped ports, locking means (27) being provided to prevent telescopic retraction of the parts (I 1,12) when the inner (12) and outer (11) parts are in selected relative positions, characterised in that the inner (12) or outer (I I) part on which the cam bears has first (14) and second (25) abutments at positions displaced longitudinally of the support (10), and the cam (21) is engageable with the first (14) and second (25) abutments selectively. 2. A support according to Claim I characterised in that the series of openings (17) in the inner (12) or outer (I I) part are regularly spaced and the inner (12) and outer (I I) parts are relatively telescoped a first set distance by engaging the cam (21) with the first abutment (14) and a second set distance by thereafter engaging the cam (21) with the second abutment (25), the first and second set distances adding up to a total set distance equivalent to the spacing between the openings (17) in the inner telescoped member (12). 3. A support according to Claim I or Claim 2 characterised in that the first (14) and second (25) abutments, as well as being longitudinally displaced are transversely displaced and the cam (21) is movable transversely along its axis of rotation to enable the cam (21) to engage the first or second abutments (14,25). 4. A support according to any one of Claims I to 4 characterised in that the telescoped part (ill) on which the cam (21) bears is provided with an aperture (28,29) which can be aligned with each of the openings (17) of the series of openings of the other telescoped part (12), the locking means (27), in use, being received in the aperture (28,29) and an aligned one of the series of openings (17) to relatively lock the inner (12) and outer (11) parts against telescopic retraction. 5. A support according to Claim 5 where appendant to Claim 2 characterised in that two apertures (28,29) are provided in the part (I I) on which the cam (21) bears, each aperture (28,29) extending longitudinally of the support (10) a distance substantially equal to the first or the second set distance, whichever is the greater. 6. A support according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the first abutment (14) is provided on the outer telescoped part (I I) and comprises a bearing surface at the end of the outer telescoped part (I I) in which the inner part (12) is received and the second abutment (25) comprises a bearing block secured at the end of the outer part (I I). 7. A support according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that stop means (20) are provided between the first (14) and second (25) abutments to prevent inadvertent transverse movement of the cam (21). 8. A support according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the cam means (20) includes a second eccentric cam, the first mentioned cam and the second cam being located on opposite sides of the support (10), the telescoped port having the first and second abutments (14,25) having further abutments (14,15) with which the second cam (21) can be engaged, the first and second cams (21) being of identical profile (24) and being movable integrally. 9. A support according to any one of Claims 2 to 8 where appendant to Claim 2 characterised in that neither the first or second set distance is greater than 25mm for a 600 rotation of the cam or cams (21). 10. A support according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the foot (13) on which the support (10) rests comprises a plate secured to the bottom surface, the plate being of larger cross-sectional area than the support (10) to spread the load transmitted through the support (10) to the ground. II. A method of adjusting the height of a structure above the ground utilising a support according to any one of Claims I to 10, characterised in that the method includes the steps of inserting the axle (18) of the cam means (20) in one of the openings (17) of the telescoped part in which the series of openings (17) are provided, rotating the eccentric cam or cams (21) using the lever (26) about the axis of the axle (18) thereof with the or each cam (21) bearing on the or the respective first abutment (14) of the other telescoped part (I I) to cause telescopic extension of the parts to a selected relative position, engaging the locking means (27) toprevent telescopic retraction of the parts, rotating the cam or cams (21) using the lever (26) with the or each cam (21) bearing on the second abutment (25) to cause further telescopic extension of the parts (I 1,12) to a further selected relative position. 12. A building structure when supported by a support (10) according to any one of Claims I to 10.

Inventors: BOTHAM, STEPHEN CHARLES, NEWTON, STEPHEN WALTER
Applicants: PORTAKABIN LIMITED
Application year: 1984
Main classification: E04G25
IPC codes: B66F15, B66F1, E04G25