ARRANGEMENT OF A MOBILE ACCOMMODATION OF ACTIVITIES

Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement of an expandable, mobile accommodation of activities comprising a central structure (1) having along at least one of its longitudinal sides a longitudinal side wall (6) that is movable in parallel motion outwards together with folding floor and roof sections (9, 10; 15, 16). Moreover, front and rear side walls (13, 14) are arranged to be swung out and connected to other parts. The front and rear side walls (13, 14) are, according to the invention, arranged to initially be swung out and at the top portions and bottom portions of the inner sides provided with guide means (32, 32a; 34) for the movement of the longitudinal side wall (6). The guide means consist, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, of rails attached to the front and rear side walls (13, 14) and provided with rack rail surfaces (33), which mesh with driven pinions (34) attached to the end edges of the longitudinal side wall.

Description: ARRANGEMENT OF A MOBILE ACCOMODATION OF ACTIVITIES. The present invention relates to an arrangement of mobile accomodations of activities of the kind set forth in the preamble of the attached claim 1. Mobile accomodations of activities of this kind are previously known by Swedish patent 9403670-4. It has become apparent in practical use that the movement of the longitudinal side walls may involve hard stresses of exposed parts and hinges. This is the case among others at windy weather conditions because the roof sections folded upwards during the movement of the longitudinal side walls can catch a great deal of wind. The object of the invention is to achieve an arrangement of the kind initially set forth in which the disadvantage mentioned above is eliminated. This is achieved according to the invention in that the arrangement comprises the characterizing features set forth in claim 1. Due to the fact that the front and rear side walls can be swung out and secured against the ground initially, a strong stabilization is achieved of the longitudinal side wall during its movement outwards. This is obtained by both ends of said side wall being provided each with two guide means running along rails or similar members attached to the top and bottom portions of the two front and rear side walls. The movable, longitudinal side wall will be positively controlled such that obliquity of the side wall cannot occur by arranging driving means that move the guide means synchronously outwards and back. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention each guide means comprises a driven pinion that runs meshing with a rack rail surface of each rail. The invention is further described in the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings which schematically illustrate an embodiment of an arrangement according to the invention, and in which Fig.l is an isometric view of a mobile accomodation of activities during expansion, Fig.2 is is a side view of the front side wall shown in Fig.l with rails attached to the inner side of the wall, the rear side wall and the rear end wall of the central structure being omitted for the sake of clarity, Fig.3 is a cross-section of the side wall in Fig.2 along line III-III in Fig.2, and Fig.4 is a side view of a guide means with accompanying rail. The embodiment shown in Fig.l of a mobile accomodation of activities comprises a central structure 1 with floor 2 and roof 3. A longitudinal side wall 6 extends along each open longitudinal side of the central structure, which side walls are movable outwards and have bottom edges attached to the bottom edges of the central structure via two upwards folded hinged floor sections 9,10. The top edges of the side wall 6 and the central structure 1 are hinged via two in over the roof 3 of the central structure 1 double folded mutually hinged roof sections 15,16. In folded condition the roof sections 15,16 rest on the roof 3, and the roof sections 20,21 of the other part - on the drawing shown already unfolded - rest in folded condition on the roof section 15. The floor sections 9,10 and the side wall 6 are in completely folded condition positioned within the side edges of the front and rear end walls 5. Therefore the front and rear side walls 13,14 in folded position can be positioned one outside the other along the outside of the side wall 6 or both along the outside of the side wall 6 if the length of the side walls 13,14 of the same length is shorter than half the length of the side wall 6. Here the shown mobile accomodation of activities according to the invention differs from the accomodation of activities known by the Swedish patent 9403670-4 , that has the corresponding front and rear side walls positioned within the floor sections 9,10 joined to the central structure 1 for folding out said side walls when the longitudinal side wall, the floor sections and the roof sections have been moved in place in completely folded out condition. The specific new with the invention is that in a first step the side walls 13,34 are folded out perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the central structure and are secured against the ground by adjustable ground supports 31 attached directly to the bottom edges of the side walls 13,14 or to a beam 30 extending along said bottom edges. Two further beams 30 with ground supports 31 are attached perpendicular to the central structure 1 for supporting the floor to be folded out. The upper parts of of the side walls 13,14 have triangular parts 14b, which by folding up from the shown positions form a support of the floor to be folded out. After that the side wall 6 is moved outwards, and for that purpose the top and bottom portions of the side walls 13,14 are provided with rails 32 secured to and recessed in the inner sides of the side walls and having the shape shown in Fig. 2 and 3. The interior bottom surface of the rails has the shape of a rack rail 33 on which a pinion 34 enclosed by the rail can roll meshing with the rack rail 33. Four pinions 34 positioned in a common vertical plane are rotatably journalled at the top and bottom of each side edge of the side wall 6. The top pair of the pinions are driven by a common shaft 35, and the bottom pair are driven by another conπmon shaft 36. Shafts 35 and 36 are driven synchronized by a connection shaft 37 , at both ends provided with worm pinions driving the pinions 34. An electric motor 38 is arranged to drive the shaft 37 by means of a worm pinion. The side wall 6 is in completely retracted condition located in the position marked 6a in the central structure 1. This means that the rails 32 have to extend past the hinge marked 39 connecting each side wall 13,14 and the front and rear end walls 5 of the central structure by a rail section 32a. By starting the motor 38 with the wall 6 in the position 6a the pinions 34 will roll over to the rails 32 and keep the wall 6 firmly in vertical position until the wall 6 has arrived to its completely protruded position. At the same time the roof sections 15,16 have been pressed upwards and then to their final positions marked 20,21 and the floor sections 9,10 have been unfolded down to a plane position on the beams 30. As mentioned rather heavy wind forces can occur affecting the different parts and especially the upright roof sections. These wind forces will cause no problems thanks to the rigid anchoring of the roof section 15 to the folded out side walls 13,14. In case of extreme wind conditions the both expandable parts of the accomodation of activities can be expanded at the same time such that a balancing of the accomodation of activities is obtained that might withstand all possible forces during the expanding operation. The invention is of course not restricted to the here shown and described embodiitient but may be modified in different ways within the scope of the inventive idea defined by the claims. This is the case especially with reference to the measures for moving the longitudinal side wall 6 guided bu the rails 32. As an alternative for rack rail surfaces in the rails and cooperating pinions in the rails, rails with smooth bottom surfaces and conventional rolls in the rails may be used, in which case the side wall 6 has to be moved by means of other actuating means, for instance hydraulic pistons or driving chains, which also may fulfill the synchronizing. The shown driving arrangement with pinions is suitable, however, with respect to the crossing of the joints 39.

Claims: C L A I M S 1. An arrangement of a mobile accomodation of activities or a similar space comprising a central structure (1) which is provided with floor (2) and roof (3) and front and rear end walls (5) and which is expandable in at least one direction in which a longitudinal side wall (6) is movable in parallel motion out from the central structure (1) during unfolding of foldable floor sections (9,10) hinged to the bottom edges of the side wall (6) and of the central structure (1), and of foldable roof sections (15,16) hinged to the top edges of the side wall (6) and the central structure (1), in addition to which front and rear side walls (13,14) hinged to the side edges of the end walls (5) of the central structure are adapted to be swung out perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the central structure (1), characterized in that the front and rear side walls (13,14) are attached outermost to the central structure (1) and adapted to be swung out initially and positioned by ground supports (31), and at top and bottom portions of the inner sides are provided with rails (32) or similar members in which guide means (34) are movably journalled, which are attached to the top and bottom portions of the front and rear side edges of the longitudinal side wall (6). 2. An arrangement according to claim 1 , characterized in that driving means (33-38) are provided to move the guide means (34) synchronously in the rails (32) out from and back towards the central structure (1). 3. An arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the guide means comprise each a driven pinion (34), and the rails (32) are provided with each a rack rail surface (33) with which a corresponding pinion (34) is arranged to mesh.

Inventors: GYLLENHAMMAR THORBJOERN, GYLLENHAMMAR, THORBJOERN
Applicants: GYLLENHAMMAR THORBJOERN, INNOVATION DEV ENTERPRISE I ST, GYLLENHAMMAR, THORBJOERN, INNOVATION DEVELOPMENT ENTERPRISE I STOCKHOLM AB
Application year: 1997
Main classification: B60P3
IPC codes: B60P3, E04B1