Portable building

Abstract

A method of increasing the volume of a portable building which has a tilt up roof extension and a tilt down floor extension by attaching temporary rams and brackets on the roof extension and floor extension to give favourable thrust angles and deploying the extensions. The roof extension is braced with diagonal cross braces. Thereafter the rams and brackets are removed and the perimeter of the extension is closed in with panels carried to the site inside the core of the building. When the building is to be transferred to another site, the procedure is reversed. The core of the building when collapsed is only 2.5 m wide which enables truck delivery on a highway.

1 . A method of preparing a portable building for occupation, the building having a box-like core, a tilting roof panel hinged to the core, and a tilting floor panel hinged to the core for expanding the volume of the building, including the steps of attaching a pair of jacking brackets to the roof panel, attaching a pair of jacking brackets to the core, applying a pair of rams between the pairs of brackets, and thrusting the roof panel from vertical to substantially horizontal, supporting the roof panel with struts, applying a pair of rams between the floor panel and the core in order to deploy the floor panel, inserting wall panels between the roof and floor in order to enclose the expanded volume and removing the brackets and rams. 
     
     
         2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the roof thrust comprises an initial thrust followed by a final thrust. 
     
     
         3 . A method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the initial thrust applies force between the jacking brackets on the roof panel and the jacking brackets on the core. 
     
     
         4 . A method as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the final thrust applies force between the jacking brackets on the roof panel and jacking points on the core which utilise a larger thrust angle. 
     
     
         5 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the rams are pressurised by a pump carried by the vehicle which delivers the portable building to the site. 
     
     
         6 . A method as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the brackets and rams are removed after the roof and floor panels have been deployed and the side wall and end walls have been erected. 
     
     
         7 . A portable building having a box-like core having a floor, a roof, two end walls, a first static side wall extending between the two end walls and a second moveable wall made of a floor panel hinged to the core floor, so that it is foldable downwardly to extend the floor area, and a roof panel hinged to the container roof so that it swings upwardly to extend the roof area, a pair of external accessible jacking sites on the roof panel, a pair of external accessible jacking sites on the floor panel and corresponding jacking sites on the core. 
     
     
         8 . A portable building having a box-like core having a floor, a roof, two end walls and a first side wall extending between the end walls, all forming a permanent portion of the building, a fold away portion of the building having a folding floor, a folding roof, removable end walls, a removable second side wall and removable supports for the roof, all being stowable in the permanent position for freighting. 
     
     
         9 . A portable building as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the removable supports for the roof panel comprise a pair of crossed diagonal braces. 
     
     
         10 . A portable building having a box-like core, having a floor, roof, end walls, a first static side wall extending between the end walls, and a second wall made of a panel hinged to the roof and a panel hinged to the floor, both panels standing upright and side by side, a pair of struts for supporting the roof panel when deployed, multiple panels in the box-like structure capable of forming a second side wall and end walls when the floor panel is deployed, a first pair of brackets attachable to the core, a second pair of brackets attachable to the roof panel, a pair of rams capable of exerting deploying force between the first and second pairs of brackets. 
     
     
         11 . A portable building as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the core has a longitudinal axis and an internal wall parallel to the axis and a partition wall at right angles thereto and spaced therefrom defining a door gap which during transit is occupied by panels which compose the end walls of the foldaway portion.