EXPANDABLE, MOBILE ACCOMMODATION OF ACTIVITIES

Abstract: The invention relates to an expandable, mobile accommodation of activities comprising a central structure which is provided with floor (10) and roof (3) and front and rear end walls (1, 2) and two longitudinal side walls (8, 9). Two side walls (4, 5; 6, 7) are arranged outermost on each side of the central structure capable of being turned outwardly perpendicular to the central structure. Guide rails (15, 16) are attached to the inside of said side walls for guiding of the longitudinal side walls (8, 9), which are movable outwards in parallel motion, and of the mutually hinged roof and floor sections (12, 11), the outermost sections of which being hinged to the outwardly movable side walls (8, 9), and the innermost sections of which being hinged to the roof (3) and floor (10), respectively, of the central structure. Said roof (3) is journalled movable in vertical direction guided in vertical guide rails (17), and in non-expanded state the roof sections (12) are positioned lying like a package on one of its sides on the roof (3) of the Central structure, which roof is in its lowered position. At starting of the expanding the package of roof sections is tilted up in upright position during movement of the roof (3) of the central structure upwards, and movement of the outwardly movable side walls (8, 9) outwards, which latter movement is arranged to continue until said side walls (8, 9) and roof and floor sections are in their end positions, preferably with pair of roof sections forming ridges. In order to achieve an extended ceiling height, the movable side walls (6, 7, 9) are, according to the invention, provided within non-expanded state inwardly folded sections, which in expanded state are raised for extended height, in addition to which hydraulic cylinders (60) are arranged to impart to the roof (3) of the central structure the required increase of the lifting height corresponding to the increased height of the side walls.

Description: Expandable, mobile accomodation of activities. The present invention relates to an expandable, mobile accomodation of activities of the kind defined in the preamble of the following claim 1. An accomodation of this kind is known from the patent SE 9603266-9 and has proved operable in the intended way up to a specific size. One of its advantages is that it can maintain a decided width determined with a knowledge of the regulations in different countries. The maximum height is decided by the free height of viaducts to pass under. If the size of the roof sections exceeds the width of the central structure it is necessary to pile up a plurality of roof sections on the central structure, and in this case the total height easily becomes too large, which limits the size of the accomodation of activities. The object of the invention is to provide a solution of this problem that permits the arrangement of essentially larger units in a simple way without increase of the height of transportation. This object has been achieved in accordance with the invention in that the accomodation of activities has obtained the characteristic features set forth in claim 1. This means that the roof of the central structure is arranged vertically adjustable a predetermined distance permitting the roof sections, in the non-enlarged position, to be kept folded like an accordion and laying with one side surface supported by the roof of the central structure lowered a distance. The outermost roof sections are constantly joined, one of them with the roof edge of the central structure and the other with the top edge of the the completely retracted, longitudinal side wall. At enlarging, the package of roof sections is pivoted around the two hinged edges during raising of the roof of the central structure and moving of the longitudinal side wall outwards until the bottom hinges of the roof sections are positioned in a horizontal level and can slide into corresponding guide rails when the roof sections are pulled apart from each other. The dimensions may be such that a plane roof is obtained, but preferably the roof sections are arranged such, that a roof consisting of a number of identical ridges is obtained, which has a larger ceiling height and a larger mechanical strength with respect to snow load, for instance. The ceiling height is limited by the height of the walls, which, in turn, is limited by the permitted maximum height of transportation. This is a disadvantage, because there is a need of ceiling heights of up to 4-5 meters. This problem has been solved according to a development of the invention by an accomodation of activities having the characteristic features set forth in claim 5. Due to the fact that the side walls have been provided with longitudinal, hinged sections and the roof of the central structure has been provided with an extended movability in vertical direction, an essential increase of the ceiling height has been obtained in a simple way, The movability of said roof is suitably, as set forth in claim 6, achieved by four hydraulic cylinders acting upon the roof. The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figs. 1-7 schematically show an exemplifying embodiment of an enlargeable, mobile accomodation of activities of the kind set forth in claims 1-4, and Figs. 8 and 9 show an exemplifying embodiment of the invention according to claims 5 and 6. Fig.l is a plan view of the accomodation of activities in non-enlarged state, Fig.2 is a view of the floor of the accomodation of activities in enlarged state, Fig.3 is a side view of the accomodation of activities in enlarged state, Fig.4 is an interior detail view showing the guide rails for guiding the roof sections, Fig.5 is a view similar to that in Fig.4 but with the roof and floor sections positioned in the central structure, Fig.6 is the same view as Fig.5 but with the roof and floor sections and the longitudinal side wall on the way to be folded out, and Fig.7 is the same view as Fig.5 and Fig.6 but with the accomodation of activity completely enlarged. Fig.8 is the same view as Fig.5 and illustrates the changes necessary for obtaining this embodiment, and Fig.9 is the same view as Fig.6 and illustrates the operating of this embodiment in comparison with the previously suggested solution. Fig.l illustrates a central structure of the accomodation according to the application as viewed from above with front and rear end walls 1,2 and a roof 3, to which end walls front and rear side walls 4 and 5, respectively, are hinged on one side of the central structure, and front and rear side walls 6 and 7, respectively, are hinged on the other side. These side walls are shown in Fig.l in retracted position and in Fig.2 in folded out position perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the central structure. Two longitudinal side walls 8,9, which in Fig.l were positioned inside the walls 4,5 and 6,7, respectively, are in Fig.2 moved in parallel outwards to the positions shown. Fig.2 also shows the floor 10 of the central structure, and folded out floor sections 11, mutually hinged to each other. The floor area of the shown example is about 300 square meters. Fig.3 shows the rear side walls 5,6 and a number of mutually hinged roof sections 12 that form a number of identical ridges on each side of the central structure. Fig. 4 shows the inside of the front side wall 6 and the end wall 1. The side wall is provided with a top horizontal guide rail 15 and a bottom horizontal guide rail 16. The end wall is provided with an essentially vertical guide wall 17 and a short horizontal guide rail 18 in line with the guide wall 16. The side walls 4,5 and 7 are arranged in a corresponding way. The central structure is supported by two transverse beams 20, and the expanded parts on one or both sides of the central structure are supported by detachable, transverse beams 21 attached to the central structure. All the beams are supported by adjustable ground supports 22. Hinged sections 19 are attached to the top edges of all four side walls 4-7, as shown in Fig.5, with the same ridge shape as the folded out roof sections. These hinged wall sections are folded in under the roof sections 12 when these are in completely expanded state, as shown in Fig.3. In Figs. 5-7 the end wall 2 and the rear side wall 7 are removed to more clearly show the roof and floor sections during their folding out to completely expanded state, as in Fig.7. Both sides are expandable in the same way, and, hence, only the right- hand part is clearly shown here. The floor sections 11 retracted to a package are supported standing upright in the central structure inside the longitudinal side wall 9, in the completely retracted state of the floor and roof sections, Fig.5. Guide members 25 are attached to the bottom hinges of the floor sections 11 and are positioned in the guide rail 14. The roof sections are retracted in a similar way to a package supported lying down on one of its sides upon the lowered roof 3 with guide members 26 attached to the right-hand hinges on the drawing and positioned in the guide rail 17. The bottom roof section is attached by a hinge 27 to the edge portion of the roof 3, and the top roof section 12 is attached by a hinge 28 to the top edge portion of the side wall 9. The outermost floor section 11 is attached by a hinge 29 to the bottom edge portion of the side wall 9. The hinges 27,28,29 and the hinges 30 connecting the roof sections and the hinges 31 connecting the floor sections all extend along the entire length of the roof and floor sections and are very sturdy to withstand all possible stressing. A suitable type of hinges are shown in the patent SE 9600625-9, which are easy to assemble and which can be provided with stop shoulders, which as to the hinges of the roof sections limit the folding out of the hinges to the positions when the roof sections are completely expanded, as shown in Fig.7. When the accomodation of activities should be expanded it is unloaded from a truck in the same way as is the case with a big container, if it is not provided with wheels. The beams 21, which during the transportation are carried within the central structure, are unloaded and hooked on the lateral beams 20 of the central structure, and then the beams are levelled by means of the ground supports 22. Then the side walls 4-7 are pivoted to the positions shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The position of the side walls 4,5 and the associated wall sections 19 and the longitudinal side wall 8 before pivoting and pulling out, respectively, of said walls is shown on the left-hand part of Fig.5. /After that a lifting device 35 is temporarily mounted on the end walls 1,2. A wire 36 is attached at each end of the hinge 27 connecting a roof section and the roof 3, which wires are extended along the underside of each package of roof sections and up to each a pulley wheel 37 and down over a further pulley wheel 38 to a lifting jack 39 on each end wall. The lifting jacks are synchronized and are driven manually or by a motor. Both packages of roof sections start turning around the hinges 28 when the lifting jacks are started at the same time as partly a guide member 26 of the top roof section is pushed into the guide rail 18 and further over to the guide rail 15, partly the wall 9, the top edge of which is connected to the hinge 28, is pushed outwards assisted by a driving means, not shown (suitably a conventional chain driving means) , along the guide rails 15 and 16 , such that a parallel movement of the wall 9 is accomplished. The floor sections 11 are taking part of this movement and are also moved outwards. When the package of roof sections is turned such that the roof 3 is elevated to its highest position and the guide members 26 are sliding one after the other into an opening of the guide rail 15 when the roof sections are folded out to the position shown in Fig.7. At that time also the floor sections 11 are completely pulled apart guided by the guide members 25 in the guide rail 16 to a plane position between the fixed floor 10 of the central structure and the side wall 9. The triangular parts of the wall sections 19 are eventually pushed in under the roof sections 12. Folding of the accomodation of activities is started by the sections 19 being turned down, and push members, not shown, located right beneath the hinges 31 of the floor sections to be folded upwards are activated for a short time at the same time as said driving means (not shown) starts pulling the walls 8.9 inwards. When the roof sections 12 are packed together the roof 3 of the central structure is released and lowered, and at the same time the package of roof sections 12 is tilted over guided by the guide member 27 of the hinge between the bottom roof section 12 and the roof 3, which guide member is sliding in the guide rail 17. When the roof 3 is in its lowest position, the walls 8,9 have reached their innermost positions, and the floor sections 11 have formed each a package inside said walls. The front and rear side walls 4-7 are pivoted to a position along the walls 8,9 with the wall sections 19 positioned on top of the roof, as shown on the left-hand part of Fig.5. The ground supports are dismounted or folded, and the beams 21 unhooked and placed in the central structure. Then the accomodation of activities is ready for transportation. To achieve the desired increase of ceiling height of the accomodation of activities without increase of the height of transportation the following changes of the embodiment according to Figs. 1-7 have been carried out as shown in Figs. 8 and 9 with the same reference numerals for the same details . The front and rear side walls 6 and 7, respectively (only the wall 6 is shown), have been provided with two longitudinal hinges 41 and 42 dividing a heightened side wall 6 into three sections 6a, 6b and 6c. The sections 6b and 6c are in Fig.8 folded in above the corresponding sections belonging to the side wall 7a, 7b and 7c, not shown. Moreover, the side walls 8 and 9, only the wall 9 is shown, are divided by three longitudinal hinges 51,52 and 53 into four sections 9a, 9b,9c and 9d. Sections 9b and 9c are in Fig.8 folded into the space between the roof 3 and the floor sections 11. At expanding of the accomodation of activities the wall sections 6b,6c and 7b,7c, respectively, are first raised and locked in upright positions by means, not shown, and then the walls 6a,6b, 6c and 7a, 7b,7c, respectively, are pivoted to the position shown in Fig.9, as previously described. The roof 3 is lifted by four hydraulic lifting jacks 60 acting on the corners of the roof 3, and the folded wall sections are raised to the position shown in Fig.9, in which further the parallel movement outward of the wall 9a,9b,9c,9d is started at the same time as the tilting of the package of roof sections 12 is started to a position for being moved out along the guide rails 15 in the previously described way.

Claims: C L A I M S 1. An expandable, mobile accomodation of activities or similar premises, comprising a central structure, which is provided with floor (10) and roof (3) and front and rear end walls (1,2) and two longitudinal side walls (8,9), at least one (e.g. 9) of which being movable in parallel motion outwards from the central structure during folding out of a number of mutually hinged, floor sections (11) hinged to the bottom parts of the side wall (9) and the central structure, and a number of mutually hinged roof sections (12) hinged to the top parts of the side wall (9) and the central structure, in addition to which front and rear side walls (6,7) hinged to the side edges of the end walls (1,2) of the central structure are pivoted outwards to a position perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the central structure, characterized in that the front and rear side walls (6,7) are arranged outermost on the central structure to be initially pivoted outwards and fixedly adjusted by ground supports (22) and on the insides are provided with top and bottom guide rails (15,16) or similar guide means, in which movable guide members (26,25) are journalled at the top and bottom parts of the front and rear side edges of the longitudinal side wall (9) and at the ends of the bottom hinges (30,31), as seen in the folded state, of the roof and floor sections (12,11, respectively), and in that the roof section (12) closest to the central structure is hinged to the longitudinal edge of the roof (3) of the central structure, which roof is movable in parallel motion in vertical direction guided by guide members in vertical rails (17) or similar means on the inside of the front and rear end walls (1,2) from an upper position essentially flush with the top guide rails (15) of the turned out front and rear side walls (6,7) to a lower position, in which the roof sections (12) in a closely packed state are contained lying on one of its sides with the uppermost roof section (12) still hinged to the top edge portion of the completely retracted, longitudinal side wall (9). 2. An expandable, movable accomodation of activities according to claim 1, characterized in that a lifting device (35) is positioned on the central structure at non-expanded accomodation of activities for turning of the closely packed package of roof sections (12) around the hinge (28) joining the edge portion of the uppermost roof section (12) with the longitudinal side wall (9). 3. An expandable, movable accomodation of activities according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that it is expandable in both lateral directions, and the roof sections (12) are dimensioned to be contained, in the non-expanded state of the accomodation, side by side in a closely packed state on the lowered roof (3) of the central structure. 4. An expandable, movable accomodation of activities according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the roof sections, in the expanded state of the accomodation, form a number of ridges. 5. An expandable, movable accomodation of activities according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the front and rear, outwardly turnable side walls (6,7) at their top edges are provided with at least one wall section (6b,6c) hinged by a longitudinal hinge (41,42), which wall section when the side wall is turned inwardly is folded down over the roof sections (12) lying in closely packed state, - that the central portion of the outwardly in parallel motion movable side wall (9) has two by longitudinal hinges (51,52,53) foldable wall sections (9b,9c), which with said wall section in retracted position are folded into a space between the retracted roof sections (11) and the lowered roof (3) of the central structure, and - that a lifting device (60) acting upon the roof (3) of the central structure, after raising of the upper wall sections (6b,6c) of said front and rear side walls (6,7) and turning out of the side walls is arranged to lift the roof (3) and the roof sections (12) lying in packed state together with associated vertical guide rails (17) until the inwardly folded wall sections (9b,9c) of the side wall (9), movable in parallel motion, are transferred into plane state. 6. An expandable, mobile accomodation of activities according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the lifting device is provided with four hydraulic cylinders (60) mounted to act on four corners of the roof (3) of the central structure.

Inventors: GYLLENHAMMAR THORBJOERN, GYLLENHAMMAR, THORBJOERN
Applicants: GYLLENHAMMAR THORBJOERN, INNOVATION DEV ENTERPRISE I ST, GYLLENHAMMAR, THORBJOERN, INNOVATION DEVELOPMENT ENTERPRISE I STOCKHOLM AB
Application year: 1998
Main classification: E04B1
IPC codes: E04B1