Patent ID: 8112943

Claim:
A method of sheltering persons and equipment comprising the steps of: a. providing a center section having a front end and an open back end that define respective vertical front and back end planes, and opposed first and second sides that define respective first and second vertical side planes, and having a rigid floor, corner posts, and a rigid roof; b. folding first and second side sections to lie generally within the center section first and second side planes, respectively, to close the center sections first and second sides and cooperate with the center section floor, roof, and ends to make a shelter that is in a transport mode; and c. unfolding the first and second side sections to be substantially outside of the center section first and second side planes, respectively, and cooperate with the center section to convert the shelter into a deployed mode, wherein the step of folding the first and second side sections comprises the steps of: i) rotating first and second rigid side section floors to be parallel to and proximate the first and second center section side planes, respectively; ii) turning multiple first and second side section panels to be alongside the first and second side section floors and generally within the first and second center section side planes, respectively, and closing the center section first and second sides; and iii) locking the first and second side section panels to the center section floor and thereby placing the shelter in the transport mode, wherein the step of unfolding the first and second side sections comprises the steps of: a) unlocking the first and second side section panels from the center section floor; b) turning the first and second side section panels to be substantially outside of the center section first and second side planes, respectively; c) rotating the first and second side section floors to be generally coplanar with the center section floor; and d) locking the first and second side section panels to the respective first and second side section floors and thereby converting the shelter into the deployed mode, and wherein the step of turning the first and second side section panels comprises the steps of: a. turnably mounting first and second end panels of each side section to the front and back ends of the center section along a vertical axis; b. turnably mounting first and second middle panels of each side section to a respective first and second end panel along a vertical axis; and c. turnably mounting a door assembly to the first and second middle panels of each side section along a vertical axis.