Patent Description:
In such emergency situations, one of the priorities is in fact the supply and the installation, in a quick and easy manner, of temporary housing and service modules that enable both the affected populations and the rescuers to cope with and manage the adverse situation in the most effective way possible, pending definitive long-term solutions.

The emergency solutions usually used normally involve the construction of tent camps, which, although they are quick to set up, are unable to offer a satisfactory level of habitability and comfort, both in terms of protection against adverse weather events, and in terms of provision of accessory services, especially in the event of a prolonged stay for those affected by the disaster. Therefore, in the event of a prolonged stay, it usually becomes necessary to transfer the affected persons successively into specially built temporary houses.

A solution that can offer a higher level of comfort than tents, both in terms of thermal and acoustic insulation and of privacy for the occupants, is given by the containers adapted as housing units. The containers, however, are much more expensive than tents and, due to their considerable weight, require the use of trucks and cranes to be transported and installed, and if the disaster area is difficult to access, setting up camps made up of such structures can also prove to be very difficult.

Solutions have also been devised, as described for example in the <CIT> by the same Applicant, which provide for the realization of temporary housing units thanks to the use of modular articulated frames and special panellings suitable for forming floor, walls and roof. These housing units offer the occupants a habitability similar to that of small prefabricated houses, since they are provided with a rigid and well insulated structure, a floor raised from the ground and a pitched roof capable of effectively countering rain and snow, and therefore allow people to stay even for prolonged periods with a decent level of comfort. These housing units further have the advantage of being made with components that are easy to assemble, of limited weight and size, and are able, when in dismounted condition, to assume an extremely compact configuration and with a very limited overall dimension, which feature greatly facilitates their storage, transport and installation.

However, in the housing unit described in the aforesaid <CIT>, the hinges that allow the mobility of the articulated frames are not structural elements capable of contributing to the stability of and to maintaining the structure in the mounted position and, therefore, special brackets are necessary for stiffening and maintaining each frame in an operative position with respect to the housing unit itself and with respect to the adjacent frames.

Furthermore, the elements making up said articulated frames have a rigid structure of preset dimensions and therefore, once arranged in an operative position, it is not possible to vary either the height of the side walls of the housing unit, or the height and the inclination of the roof sides.

This clearly constitutes a dimensional constraint for the final layout of the housing unit.

Furthermore, since for obvious reasons of habitability the modules must have a minimum height to be respected (usually not less than <NUM> metres at the side walls and <NUM> metres at the roof ridge), once the articulated frames are placed in the operative position, the mutual fixing of the elements forming the roof structure, as well as the positioning and fixing of the panelling that will make up the closure of the roof itself, necessarily require the use of ladders to allow workers to work at this height.

The general aim of the present invention is to overcome the aforesaid drawbacks by providing a modular constructional system for the construction of temporary housing units for emergency situations, such as accommodations and other buildings suitable for various services, such as community spaces, schools, warehouses, field kitchens, sanitary facilities, etc., based on modular articulated frames that combine lightness, reduced overall dimensions when in a folded or non-operative position, ease of extension in an operative position for mounting the housing units, which allow mounting workers to assemble the various frames working at man's height without the need to use ladders, which guarantee a stable positioning in an operative configuration without the need for fixing or stiffening brackets, and which also allow for great flexibility of construction with regard to the height of the walls and the inclination of the roof sides with the same floor surface.

In view of this aim, according to the invention, it was contemplated to realize a modular constructional system for the construction of temporary housing units for emergency situations, with the features of appended claim <NUM>.

According to the invention, a method for the construction of temporary housing units for emergency situations has also been realized, using such a modular constructional system, with the features of appended claim <NUM>.

To clarify the explanation of the innovative principles of the present invention and the advantages thereof with respect to the prior art, one possible illustrative embodiment applying such principles will be described below, with the aid of the attached drawings. In the drawings:.

The general term "housing unit" in this patent text is understood in an equivalent manner to mean both a building intended to constitute a temporary accommodation for people living there during an emergency situation, and a building suitable for being used for various services, such as community spaces, schools, warehouses, field kitchens, sanitary facilities, etc., during said emergency situation.

A housing unit realized with the modular constructional system according to the invention is shown, by way of example and indicated with the reference number <NUM>, in <FIG>.

For the sake of descriptive consistency, the same reference number <NUM> is also used in <FIG> to identify said housing unit during the intermediate construction steps.

The housing unit <NUM> is made by assembling a plurality of modular articulated frames <NUM>, as will be described in more detail below.

<FIG> shows a modular articulated frame <NUM> constituted by a first frame element <NUM> intended to assume, when in operative condition, a horizontal position at the base of the modular articulated frame <NUM> to form part of the bearing structure of the floor of the housing unit <NUM>, by a second frame element <NUM>, hinged to the first frame element <NUM> and intended to assume, when in operative condition, a substantially vertical position to form part of the bearing structure of the side walls of the housing unit <NUM>, and by a third frame element <NUM>, hinged to the second frame element <NUM> and intended to assume, when in operative condition, an inclined position at the upper part of the modular articulated frame <NUM> to form part of the bearing structure of the pitched roof of the housing unit <NUM>.

The first frame element <NUM> is also arranged for application of a plurality of height-adjustable ground-resting feet <NUM>, intended as will be seen below to keep the flooring of the housing unit <NUM> raised from the ground and in a perfectly horizontal position regardless of the presence of any slight irregularities of the ground surface on which the housing unit itself is installed.

Advantageously, the second frame element <NUM> and the third frame element <NUM> have, in their non-operative condition, shape and dimensions substantially similar to each other, but shorter length and width than the first frame element <NUM>. In this way, as well visible for example in <FIG>, when the modular articulated frame <NUM> is folded in non-operative condition, the second frame element <NUM> and the third frame element <NUM> remain contained, superimposed on each other in a horizontal position, inside the contour of the first frame element <NUM>, with evident optimization of the overall dimensions.

This also favours the stacking of the articulated frames <NUM> during the steps of storage, transport and preparation for assembly, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>.

The first frame element <NUM> is generically rectangular in shape, with a first longitudinal bar <NUM> and a second longitudinal bar <NUM> being arranged respectively at the two longer sides of the rectangle, oriented in the direction of extension of the modular articulated frame <NUM> from a folded non-operative condition to an extended operative condition, and with a first crosspiece <NUM> and a second crosspiece <NUM> being arranged respectively at the two shorter sides of the rectangle, oriented orthogonally to the longitudinal bars. In particular, the first crosspiece <NUM> is intended to be located, when the modular articulated frame <NUM> is in the operative position, at the centreline of the floor of the housing unit <NUM>, while the second crosspiece <NUM> is located at the hinging between the first frame element <NUM> and the second frame element <NUM>.

The second frame element <NUM> in turn is generically rectangular in shape, with a first longitudinal bar <NUM> and a second longitudinal bar <NUM> being arranged respectively at the two longer sides of the rectangle, and with a first crosspiece <NUM> and a second crosspiece <NUM> being arranged respectively at the two shorter sides of the rectangle. As can be clearly seen, for example, in <FIG>, the first crosspiece <NUM> is located at the hinging between the first frame element <NUM> and the second frame element <NUM> (thus adjacent to the second crosspiece <NUM> of the first frame element <NUM>), while the second crosspiece <NUM> is located at the hinging between the second frame element <NUM> and the third frame element <NUM>. The third frame element <NUM> is also generically rectangular in shape (advantageously, as explained above, with dimensions similar to the second frame element <NUM>), with a first longitudinal bar <NUM> and a second longitudinal bar <NUM> being arranged respectively at the two longer sides of the rectangle and with a first crosspiece <NUM> and a second crosspiece <NUM> being arranged respectively at the two shorter sides of the rectangle. The first crosspiece <NUM> is located at the hinging between the second frame element <NUM> and the third frame element <NUM> (thus adjacent to the second crosspiece <NUM> of the second frame element <NUM>), while the second crosspiece <NUM> is intended to be located, when the modular articulated frame <NUM> is in operative position, at the roof ridge.

The longitudinal bars <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> of the three frame elements <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are advantageously made of tubular profiles, both for reasons of reduction of the overall weight of the structure and for operative reasons as will be better explained below.

The mutual rotation between the first frame element <NUM> and the second frame element <NUM> is ensured by a pair of first hinges <NUM>, <NUM>' connecting the two frame elements <NUM>, <NUM> together, advantageously at the respective first longitudinal bars <NUM>, <NUM> and at the respective second longitudinal bars <NUM>, <NUM>, as shown schematically in the exploded view of <FIG>.

The hinge <NUM> is constituted by two wings <NUM>, <NUM>, adapted to couple respectively with the first longitudinal bar <NUM> of the first frame element <NUM> and with the first longitudinal bar <NUM> of the second frame element <NUM> (advantageously inserting within the respective tubular profiles), and by a central hinging portion or pin <NUM>, adapted to define the axis around which said wings <NUM>, <NUM> can mutually rotate.

Similarly, the hinge <NUM>' is constituted by two wings <NUM>', <NUM>', adapted to couple respectively with the second longitudinal bar <NUM> of the first frame element <NUM> and with the second longitudinal bar <NUM> of the second frame element <NUM> (also inserting within the respective tubular profiles), and by a central hinging portion or pin <NUM>', adapted to define the axis around which said wings <NUM>', <NUM>' can mutually rotate.

The two central hinging pins <NUM>, <NUM>' together identify the mutual axis of rotation of the two frame elements <NUM>, <NUM>.

Since, as explained above, the second frame element <NUM> is smaller in size than the first frame element <NUM> in order to be able to be accommodated within the latter when the modular articulated frame <NUM> is folded in non-operative condition, the two wings <NUM>, <NUM> of the hinge <NUM> (as well as the two wings <NUM>', <NUM>' of the hinge <NUM>') are not coplanar, but offset in a manner corresponding to the distance between the axes of the tubular profiles constituting the pairs of longitudinal bars <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>, <NUM> of the frame elements <NUM>, <NUM>. A detail of such a hinge configuration is shown in <FIG>.

The mutual rotation between the second frame element <NUM> and the third frame element <NUM> is ensured by a pair of second hinges <NUM>, <NUM>' connecting the two frame elements <NUM>, <NUM> together, advantageously at the respective first longitudinal bars <NUM>, <NUM> and at the respective second longitudinal bars <NUM>, <NUM>, as shown schematically in the exploded view of <FIG>.

The hinge <NUM> is constituted by two wings <NUM>, <NUM>, adapted to couple respectively with the first longitudinal bar <NUM> of the second frame element <NUM> and with the first longitudinal bar <NUM> of the third frame element <NUM> (advantageously inserting within the respective tubular profiles), and by a central hinging portion or pin <NUM>, adapted to define the axis around which said wings <NUM>, <NUM> can mutually rotate.

Similarly, the hinge <NUM>' is constituted by two wings <NUM>', <NUM>', adapted to couple respectively with the second longitudinal bar <NUM> of the second frame element <NUM> and with the second longitudinal bar <NUM> of the third frame element <NUM> (also inserting within the respective tubular profiles), and by a central hinging portion or pin <NUM>', adapted to define the axis around which said wings <NUM>', <NUM>' can mutually rotate.

Since, as explained above, the second frame element <NUM> and the third frame element <NUM> have the same width in order to be able to superimpose on each other with the respective longitudinal bars when the modular articulated frame <NUM> is folded in non-operative condition, the two wings <NUM>, <NUM> of the hinge <NUM> (as well as the two wings <NUM>', <NUM>' of the hinge <NUM>') are arranged coplanar with each other. A detail of such a hinge configuration is shown in <FIG>.

The third frame element <NUM> is arranged to receive, at its second crosspiece <NUM> (i.e. the portion of the modular articulated frame <NUM> intended to be located, when in operative position, at the roof ridge), a pair of third hinges <NUM>, <NUM>' connecting together the third frame elements <NUM> of two modular articulated frames <NUM> mutually faced to form a modular portion of the housing unit, advantageously at the respective first longitudinal bars <NUM>, <NUM> and at the respective second longitudinal bars <NUM>, <NUM>, as shown schematically in the exploded view of <FIG>.

The hinge <NUM> is constituted by two wings <NUM>, <NUM>, adapted to couple respectively with the first longitudinal bar <NUM> of one of the two frame elements <NUM> mutually faced and with the first longitudinal bar <NUM> of the other of the two frame elements <NUM> mutually faced (advantageously inserting within the respective tubular profiles), and by a central hinging portion or pin <NUM>, adapted to define the axis around which said wings <NUM>, <NUM> can mutually rotate.

Similarly, the hinge <NUM>' is constituted by two wings <NUM>', <NUM>', adapted to couple respectively with the second longitudinal bar <NUM> of one of the two frame elements <NUM> mutually faced and with the second longitudinal bar <NUM> of the other of the two frame elements <NUM> mutually faced (also inserting within the respective tubular profiles), and by a central hinging portion or pin <NUM>', adapted to define the axis around which said wings <NUM>', <NUM>' can mutually rotate.

The two central hinging pins <NUM>, <NUM>' together identify the mutual axis of rotation of the two mutually faced frame elements <NUM>.

Since the two mutually faced frame elements <NUM> obviously have the same width, the two wings <NUM>, <NUM> of the hinge <NUM> (as well as the two wings <NUM>', <NUM>' of the hinge <NUM>') are arranged coplanar with each other.

Advantageously, the hinges <NUM>, <NUM>' intended to be arranged between the two frame elements <NUM> mutually faced at the roof ridge can be identical to the hinges <NUM>, <NUM>' intended to be arranged between the second frame element <NUM> and the third frame element <NUM> at the hinging between the side wall and the roof side, so as to optimize the production, storage and transport of the components of the housing unit.

The hinges <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM>, <NUM>' that achieve the mutual mobility of the frame elements <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> that make up the modular articulated frame (as well as the mutual mobility of the two frame elements <NUM> mutually faced to form the bearing structure of the pitched roof of the housing unit) are so-called "structural" hinges, i.e. hinges that allow the stable fixing of the desired rotation angle between the frame elements connected by them, so as to permanently maintain the structure of the housing unit in the design configuration without the need to use special angular brackets with predetermined shape as it was the case in the structure described in the aforesaid <CIT>.

For this purpose, the hinges may for example be of the so-called "Hirth joint" type, wherein the central hinging portions <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM>, <NUM>' consist of two halves each having a frontal toothed crown <NUM> adapted to engage the frontal toothed crown of the other half, as shown in detail in <FIG>.

The adjustment of the angular position of the hinges takes place by loosening the tightening screws <NUM> so as to be able to move the two toothed crowns <NUM> away from each other and to rotate them to the desired angle, then engaging them again in the chosen angular position and definitively tightening the screws <NUM>.

The number of teeth of the crown defines a plurality of preset angular positions for stable locking of the adjustable hinge.

With regard to the hinging between the first frame element <NUM> and the second frame element <NUM>, for the purpose of reducing the overall dimensions to favour the kinematic motion of mutual mobility of the two elements starting from the folded non-operative condition, it was found particularly advantageous to realize the two hinges <NUM>, <NUM>' with the respective central portions <NUM>, <NUM>' connected to each other by a bar which, once the hinges themselves are mounted with the respective wings <NUM>, <NUM>' inserted inside the tubular profiles of the longitudinal bars <NUM>, <NUM> of the first frame element <NUM>, constitutes de facto the second crosspiece <NUM> of said frame element, as visible in <FIG>.

The longitudinal bars <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>, <NUM> of the second and respectively of the third frame element <NUM>, <NUM> are extensible in length, so as to be able to vary the length of said rectangular frame elements as required.

In particular, the extensibility of the longitudinal bars <NUM>, <NUM> of the second frame element <NUM> makes it possible to adjust the height of the side walls of the housing unit.

The extensibility of the longitudinal bars <NUM>, <NUM> of the third frame element <NUM>, together with the adjustability of the angular position of the hinges <NUM>, <NUM>', on the other hand, allows to adjust the height and the inclination of the roof sides of the housing unit.

Said longitudinal bars <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>, <NUM> are advantageously made with a telescopically extensible tubular structure. Appropriate locking means (not shown in detail in the figures) can of course be provided for keeping the telescopic elements in the desired extended position.

The steps for mounting a housing unit according to the invention, made with a plurality of modular articulated frames <NUM> having the geometric and structural characteristics described above, will now be briefly illustrated.

With reference to <FIG>, there is provided a plurality of modular articulated frames <NUM>, the total number of which depends on the dimensions envisaged for the housing unit <NUM>, together with a plurality of height-adjustable resting feet <NUM> intended to maintain the flooring of the housing unit raised from the ground and in a perfectly horizontal position regardless of the presence of any slight irregularities of the ground surface on which the housing unit itself is installed.

The modular articulated frames <NUM> are positioned, on the resting feet <NUM>, in pairs of articulated frames faced each other to form a modular portion <NUM> of the housing unit to be built, as shown in greater detail in <FIG>.

Several modular portions <NUM> will be placed side by side one another, as shown in <FIG>, until the length envisaged for the housing unit <NUM> is reached.

The modular articulated frames <NUM> can be fixed on the resting feet <NUM> previously arranged on the ground in suitable number and position, as schematically indicated in <FIG>, or the resting feet <NUM> can be firstly fixed to the frame element <NUM> of each modular articulated frame <NUM> and then the various modular articulated frames <NUM> provided with feet <NUM> can be arranged on the ground until obtaining the arrangement of <FIG>.

After making the first frame elements <NUM> of each modular articulated frame <NUM> integral with each other (with suitable fixing means, such as bolts or other) to give solidity and stability to the base of the structure, each modular articulated frame <NUM> is extended by lifting together the second frame element <NUM> and the third frame element <NUM> relative to the first frame element <NUM>, through rotation of the first hinges <NUM>, <NUM>', until they are brought to a vertical position as shown in <FIG>. In this figure (as well as in some subsequent figures) the intermediate positions of the movable elements during their movement between the initial position and the final position of the illustrated sequence are shown in a dashed line.

<FIG> and <FIG> illustrate this step of extending all modular articulated frames <NUM> to bring the respective second and third frame elements <NUM>, <NUM> to a vertical position.

In this condition, after locking the hinges <NUM>, <NUM>' at a rotation angle equal to <NUM>°, the second frame elements <NUM> are in a (vertical) position suitable for forming part of the side wall structure of the housing unit <NUM>.

Preferably in this step, the second frame elements <NUM> of each modular articulated frame <NUM> are made integral with each other (with suitable fixing means, such as bolts or other) to give solidity and stability to the side wall structure of the housing unit.

Starting from this condition, the third frame element <NUM> is further lifted, through rotation of the second hinges <NUM>, <NUM>', until it assumes the horizontal position shown in <FIG>, where the third frame elements <NUM> of the pair of articulated frames <NUM> mutually faced to form a modular portion <NUM> of the housing unit are aligned and coplanar.

<FIG> illustrate this step of further lifting all the third frame elements <NUM> up to the aforesaid horizontal position.

At this point, appropriate floor panels <NUM> may be applied on the first frame elements <NUM> of the modular articulated frames <NUM>, as shown in <FIG> for the single modular portion <NUM> and in <FIG> for the entire structure of the housing unit <NUM>, so that mounting workers can work comfortably and under safety conditions in the structure being assembled.

Of course, the floor panels <NUM> may be mounted also in previous steps, for example after bringing the second and third frame elements <NUM>, <NUM> together to a vertical position, prior to further lifting the third frame elements <NUM>.

While keeping the third frame elements <NUM> in horizontal position, it is therefore possible to apply the third hinges <NUM>, <NUM>' at the facing ends of said third frame elements <NUM>, as visible in <FIG> for the single modular portion <NUM> and in <FIG> for the entire structure of the housing unit <NUM>.

In particular, the hinges <NUM>, <NUM>' are made integral with the two facing modular articulated frames <NUM> by inserting their wings <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM>' within the tubular profiles of the longitudinal bars <NUM>, <NUM> of the respective third frame elements <NUM>, which insertion takes place by carrying out a first step of telescopic lengthening of said longitudinal bars <NUM>, <NUM> as shown in <FIG>, where the respective lengthening portions 24a, 25a are visible.

At this point, each modular portion <NUM> is stably formed by the respective pair of modular articulated frames <NUM> mutually faced and connected by the hinges <NUM>, <NUM>' arranged at the portion intended to form the roof ridge.

It is therefore easy for the operators, working at man's height on the floor <NUM> covering the first frame elements <NUM>, to lift together the pair of third frame elements <NUM> as visible in <FIG>, by further telescopic lengthening of the longitudinal bars <NUM>, <NUM> (see in the figure the corresponding extension of the respective lengthening portions 24a, 25a) and simultaneous opening rotation of the second hinges <NUM>, <NUM>' and closing opening of the third hinges <NUM>, <NUM>', until reaching the desired inclination of the roof sides.

In this step, in practice, the roof ridge (i.e. the area of the third hinges <NUM>, <NUM>') is lifted, while maintaining instead the second hinges <NUM>, <NUM>' at the upper end of the walls at the same height.

<FIG> and <FIG> illustrate this step of further lifting all the third frame elements <NUM> until the desired inclination of the roof sides of the housing unit <NUM> is reached.

At this point, after having locked the hinges <NUM>, <NUM>' and <NUM>, <NUM>' in the rotation angles corresponding to the position reached, also the third frame elements <NUM> of each modular articulated frame <NUM> can be made integral with each other (with appropriate fixing means, such as bolts or other) to give solidity and stability to the roof structure of the housing unit.

Should the height of the side wall structure constituted by the second frame elements <NUM> be less than the design height of the housing unit, it is possible to further proceed to the telescopic lengthening of the longitudinal bars <NUM>, <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>, where the respective lengthening portions 20a, 21a) are visible, while maintaining the inclination of the roof sides unchanged (i.e. of the third frame elements <NUM>, which thus simply translate upwards), until reaching the desired height for the side walls of the housing unit <NUM>. <FIG> shows the structure of the housing unit <NUM> with all the modular portions <NUM> in the final configuration of <FIG>.

At this point, the structure of the housing unit <NUM> can be completed, by closing with suitable profiles the spaces that may exist between the longitudinal bars of the adjacent frame elements at the side walls and at the roof sides (since, as we have seen, said frame elements <NUM>, <NUM> have a width less than the first frame element <NUM> in order to be able to be inserted at least partially within the latter when the modular articulated frame <NUM> is folded in non-operative condition), by applying side wall panels <NUM> on the second frame elements <NUM>, roof panels <NUM> on the third frame elements <NUM>, as well as frontal walls <NUM> closing the front and rear sides of the housing unit, provided with doors and windows according to the design, as schematically illustrated in <FIG>. Of course, suitable doors and windows can be provided also at the side walls of the housing unit.

Roof and side walls will then be advantageously covered by an external coating tarpaulin <NUM> (shown only partially in <FIG>) for adequate protection against weather agents.

Thanks to the frame structure <NUM>, for the floor, for the side walls and for the roof, highly thick insulated panels can be used, practically up to the thickness of the bars and of the crosspieces of the frames themselves, thus guaranteeing thermal, hygienic and habitability conditions comparable to those of a traditional prefabricated building.

It is clear at this point how the modular constructional system for the construction of housing units according to the invention makes it possible to achieve the set objectives. In fact, said modular constructional system combines lightness and reduced overall dimensions of the articulated frames when they are in folded or non-operative position, ease of mounting that allows operators to assemble the various frames working at man's height without the need to use ladders, and a considerable rigidity and stability of the structure without the need for special stiffening brackets to keep the structure in the envisaged shape, apart from the use of normal means for mutual connection among adjacent modules, such as bolts or the like.

Furthermore, the extensibility of the longitudinal bars of the frame elements guarantees a high flexibility with regard to the shape and to the dimensions of the structure: in fact, by playing on the values of the telescopic extensions of the side wall frames and of the roof frames, as well as on the lockability of the hinges at a plurality of preset angular positions, it is possible, with the same modular articulated frame, to realize housing units with walls of different height with the same width of the structure and height and inclination of the roof, or different heights and inclinations of the roof with the same width of the structure and height of the walls, or a combination of both. Moreover, thanks to the extensibility of said second and third frame elements <NUM>, <NUM>, it would also be possible, if necessary, to realize an asymmetrical structure simply by adopting different lengthenings of the frames and different angles of the hinges on the two sides of the housing unit <NUM>.

Clearly, the above description of an embodiment applying the innovative principles of the present invention is given by way of an illustrative example of such innovative principles and must not, therefore, be taken to limit the scope of the patent claimed herein.

For example, instead of making both the second and third frame elements <NUM>, <NUM> extensible, just only one of them could be extensible: with only the second frame element <NUM> being telescopically extensible and the third frame element <NUM> with fixed geometry, it is possible to make structures with roof having fixed inclination and height-varying side walls; conversely, with only the third frame element <NUM> being telescopically extensible and the second frame element <NUM> with fixed geometry, it is possible to make structures with side walls having fixed height and with a roof having a different height of the ridge and inclination of the pitches.

Furthermore, the mutual fixing of adjacent frame elements in the plurality of side-by-side modular portions <NUM> can be carried out at different constructional steps compared to what described above by way of example, if this is considered more appropriate for an optimal execution of the construction site activity.

Claim 1:
Modular constructional system for the construction of temporary housing units for emergency situations, made by assembling of a plurality of modular articulated frames (<NUM>), each modular articulated frame (<NUM>) being extensible from a folded non-operative condition to an extended operative condition and being composed of a first frame element (<NUM>) rectangular in shape, intended to assume, when the modular articulated frame (<NUM>) is in the extended operative condition, a horizontal position at the base of the modular articulated frame to form part of the floor structure of the housing unit, of a second frame element (<NUM>) rectangular in shape, hinged to the first frame element (<NUM>) and intended to assume, when the modular articulated frame (<NUM>) is in the extended operative condition, a substantially vertical position to form part of the side wall structure of the housing unit, and of a third frame element (<NUM>) rectangular in shape, hinged to the second frame element (<NUM>) and intended to assume, when the modular articulated frame (<NUM>) is in the extended operative condition, an inclined position at the upper part of the modular articulated frame to form part of the pitched roof structure of the housing unit, each rectangular frame element (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) having a pair of longitudinal bars oriented in the direction of extension of the modular articulated frame (<NUM>) from the folded non-operative condition to the extended operative condition and a pair of crosspieces oriented orthogonally to said longitudinal bars, characterized in that the longitudinal bars (<NUM>, <NUM>) of at least said third frame element (<NUM>) are telescopically extensible in length and in that the connection hinges (<NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM>, <NUM>') respectively between the first and second frame elements (<NUM>, <NUM>) and between the second and third frame elements (<NUM>, <NUM>) are structural hinges, adjustable to lock stably at a plurality of preset angular positions when the modular articulated frame (<NUM>) is in extended operative condition.