Transportable building

Abstract

A transportable building system including at least partially erecting a building, transporting the at least partially erected building on its side to a building location, locating the at least partially erected building on a support at the building location, and orientating the at least partially erected building so that it is correctly orientated relative to its support. Further disclosed is a transportable building, including a first structural component, a second structural component and a hinge coupling the first and second structural components whereby the second structural component is pivotable between a folded position and an unfolded erected position of the building. The hinge is reconfigurable to allow the second structural component to be relatively displaced away from the first structural component in the unfolded erected position of the second structural component.

1 . A transportable building system, including:
 at least partially erecting a building to form a box structure including a floor panel and an internal wall panel about an enclosed space;   orientating the box structure to a position on its side;   transporting the box structure on its side to a building location;   re-orientating the box structure at the building location to locate the at least partially erected building on a support at the building location so that it is correctly orientated relative to its support; and   hingedly re-positioning an extension floor panel from a retracted location parallel to said internal wall panel to an unretracted location that increases the floor area provided by said floor panel of the box structure.   
   
   
       2 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of re-orientating the at least partially erected building so that it is correctly orientated relative to its support is carried out before the step of locating the at least partially erected building on the support at the building location. 
   
   
       3 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of re-orientating the at least partially erected building so that it is correctly orientated relative to its support is carried out after the step of locating the at least partially erected building on the support at the building location. 
   
   
       4 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of re-orientating the at least partially erected building so that it is correctly orientated relative to its support is carried out substantially simultaneously with the step of locating the at least partially erected building on the support at the building location. 
   
   
       5 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least partially erected building is, while transported on its side, within width and length dimensional limits for unescorted transport at any time of day or night. 
   
   
       6 . A system according to  claim 5 , wherein the at least partially erected building has, while transported on its side, the width dimensions of an international standard cargo shipping container and includes a load-bearing frame and floor, walls and roof panels. 
   
   
       7 . A system according to  claim 1 , further including completing erection of the building at the building location. 
   
   
       8 . A system according to  claim 7 , wherein completing erection includes unfolding out pre-constructed components of the building including said extension floor panel. 
   
   
       9 . A system according to  claim 8 , wherein said folded out components are or include panels. 
   
   
       10 . A system according to  claim 8 , wherein said building includes:
 a first structural component;   a second structural component; and   hinge means coupling said first and second structural components whereby the second structural component is pivotable between a folded position and an unfolded erected position of said building;   and wherein said hinge means is reconfigured to allow said second structural component to be relatively displaced away from said first structural component in said unfolded erected position of the second structural component.   
   
   
       11 . A system according to  claim 10 , wherein said first and second structural components respectively comprise a floor component of the at least partially erected building, and an extension floor component. 
   
   
       12 . A system according to  claim 10 , wherein said hinge means is reconfigured by detachment of a link of said hinge means that prevents said relative displacement of the second structural component away from the first structural component. 
   
   
       13 . A system according to  claim 8 , wherein said folded-out components include a panel which is positioned in the erected building as a verandah roof. 
   
   
       14 . A system according to  claim 13 , wherein said panel positioned as a verandah roof is nestable within an opening in a panel that serves as a wall in the erected structure. 
   
   
       15 . A system according to  claim 8 , including:
 folding out a wall component;   repositioning a second roof component so that it is at least in part supported by said folded-out wall component, and lies with an edge opposed to an edge of a first roof component;   jointly raising said edges of said roof components to a position defining a roof-line ridge; and   fixing said roof components at said position defining a roof-line ridge.   
   
   
       16 . A system according to  claim 8 , wherein said building includes a plurality of wall components and roof means supported thereby, and wherein said roof means includes:
 a first roof component that is supported by said wall components during transport as an outer roof component, and is displaced at said building location to provide a roof for a folded-out part of the building, and   a second roof component supported by said wall components relative to said first roof component to define a storage space during transport and a rooftop zone on said displacement of the first roof component   
   
   
       17 . A system according to  claim 9 , wherein further panels are attached after said unfolding out of pre-constructed components. 
   
   
       18 . A system according to  claim 17 , wherein said further panels include end walls. 
   
   
       19 . A system according to  claim 8 , wherein said unfolding out of pre-constructed components includes hingedly re-positioning a wall panel from a retracted location parallel to said extension floor panel in its unretracted location, to an upstanding location in which it forms an external wall of the building. 
   
   
       20 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein plumbing is installed in the partially erected building prior to transporting the box structure to a building location. 
   
   
       21 . A transportable building system, including:
 at least partially erecting a building to form a box structure having a first floor panel and an internal wall panel about an enclosed space;   transporting the box structure to a building location;   re-positioning an extension floor panel from a retracted location during transport parallel to said internal wall panel to an unretracted location that increases the floor area provided by said first floor panel of the box structure, said extension floor panel being displaced away from said first floor panel in said unretracted location to form a gap therebetween, and filling said gap with one or more floor panel inserts.   
   
   
       22 . A transportable building system according to  claim 21 , wherein, in said retracted location, said extension floor panel rests upright on its edge on said first floor panel adjacent said internal wall panel. 
   
   
       23 . A transportable building, including:
 a box structure having a first floor panel and an internal wall panel about an enclosed space;   an extension floor panel repositionable from a retracted location during transport parallel to said internal wall panel to an unretracted location that increases the floor area provided by said first floor panel of the box structure, said extension floor panel being displaced away from said first floor panel in said unretracted location to form a gap therebetween; and   one or more floor panel inserts for filling said gap.   
   
   
       24 . A transport building system according to  claim 23 , wherein, in said retracted location, said extension floor panel rests upright on its edge on said first floor panel adjacent said internal wall panel.