Above-Ground Shelter and Method of Installing Same

Abstract

An improved above-ground storm shelter having sidewalls comprised of two panels, an outer panel and an inner panel, a door means for allowing ingress and egress and for remaining securely closed during a storm event, and a roof adapted to be affixed thereto, whereby sound of articles striking the sidewalls during a storm event is lessened, and the two panels provide enhanced structural integrity compared with a single panel of comparable thickness. The sidewalls may be manufactured in modular segments adapted to be joined together to form a desired size of shelter. Preferably, at least one segment has defined therein a ventilation port with a cover means for preventing projectiles from entering the shelter during a storm event while allowing equalization of pressure. Also, a method of installing an above-ground shelter having the steps of providing modular wall segments having an outer panel separated from an inner panel a fixed distance by at least one structural member, the wall segments and structural members thereby defining a space between the panels; providing at least one door means; assembling a plurality of modular wall segments and a door means into a shelter; affixing a roof to a top edge of the modular panels and the door segment; affixing at least one transport means for rollingly moving the assembled shelter; transporting the assembled shelter to a desired location within the structure; and affixing the shelter to a floor at the desired location.

1 . An improved above-ground storm shelter having sidewalls comprised of two panels, an outer panel and an inner panel, a door means for allowing ingress and egress and for remaining securely closed during a storm event, and a roof adapted to be affixed thereto, whereby sound of articles striking the sidewalls during a storm event is lessened, and the two panels provide enhanced structural integrity compared with a single panel of comparable thickness. 
     
     
         2 . The shelter of  claim 1 , the sidewalls manufactured in modular segments adapted to be joined together to form a desired size of shelter. 
     
     
         3 . The shelter of  claim 2 , at least one segment having defined therein a ventilation port with a cover means for preventing projectiles from entering the shelter during a storm event while allowing equalization of pressure. 
     
     
         4 . The shelter of  claim 3 , the cover means comprising a protective plate at least as large as the port, the plate being affixed a distance from the outer panel. 
     
     
         5 . The shelter of  claim 4  further having a ventilation grate behind the protective plate, whereby a ventilation channel is created around a periphery of the protective plate defined by the space between the protective plate and the outer panel and the ventilation grate stops smaller debris that may be able to pass through the channel between the periphery and the outer panel. 
     
     
         6 . The shelter of  claim 5 , the door means comprising two doors, each of which is hinged, with an inner edge of a first door adjacent to the inner edge of the second door in a closed position, and a closure means for securely retaining the doors in a closed position, whereby the each door can swing freely to open either inwardly or outwardly unless the closure means is engaged. 
     
     
         7 . The shelter of  claim 5 , each door being hinged by piano-type hinges extending along substantially an entire edge of each door. 
     
     
         8 . The shelter of  claim 7 , the closure means comprising at least one door bar adapted to be received at each end thereof within a pair of end brackets affixed to the interior panel at either side of the door and also adapted to be received within at least one holder affixed to each of the doors. 
     
     
         9 . The shelter of  claim 8 , the end brackets on at least the interior panel cooperating with a profile defined on the door bar to releasably lock the door bar into place. 
     
     
         10 . The shelter of  claim 9 , a cheater tool being provided having engaging jaws adapted to engage the bar, whereby added torque can be applied to the bar to rotate it into a disengaged position. 
     
     
         11 . The shelter of  claim 3 , a base plate affixed along to a bottom edge of the panels defining the shelter, the base plate adapted to affix the shelter in place, whereby the shelter cannot be lifted off of its mounting location by forces during a storm event. 
     
     
         12 . The shelter of  claim 11 , glue being applied between a floor onto which the shelter is to be affixed and the base plate, whereby the shelter is bonded in place by the glue. 
     
     
         13 . The shelter of  claim 11 , at least one fastener passing through the base plate into a cooperating anchor in a floor onto which the shelter is to be affixed. 
     
     
         14 . The shelter of  claim 3 , each segment having an open top allowing an open space defined between the panels to be filled with a desired material, whereby additional weight, structural integrity and sound-deadening is provided to the shelter. 
     
     
         15 . The shelter of  claim 14 , the desired material selected from the group of sand, gravel, concrete, foam, plastic, fiberglass, shredded paper, or a polymer. 
     
     
         16 . The shelter of  claim 1 , each sidewall comprised of at least three layers, inner and outer metal panels and, therebetween, another layer comprised of a nonmetallic material. 
     
     
         17 . The shelter of  claim 3  further comprising:
 a. the cover means comprising a protective plate at least as large as the port, the plate being affixed a distance from the outer panel, and a ventilation grate behind the protective plate, whereby a ventilation channel is created around a periphery of the protective plate defined by the space between the protective plate and the outer panel and the ventilation grate stops smaller debris that may be able to pass through the channel between the periphery and the outer panel; 
 b. the closure means comprising at least one door bar adapted to be received at each end thereof within a pair of end brackets affixed to the interior panel at either side of the door and also adapted to be received within at least one holder affixed to each of the doors, the end brackets on at least the interior panel cooperating with a profile defined on the door bar to releasably lock the door bar into place; 
 c. a base plate affixed along to a bottom edge of the panels defining the shelter, the base plate adapted to affix the shelter in place, whereby the shelter cannot be lifted off of its mounting location by forces during a storm event; and 
 d. each segment having an open top allowing an open space between the panels to be filled with a desired material, whereby additional weight, structural integrity and sound-deadening is provided to the shelter. 
 
     
     
         18 . An improved above-ground storm shelter comprising:
 a. sidewalls manufactured in modular segments, each segment comprised of two panels, an outer panel and an inner panel, and at least one structural member maintaining them a fixed distance apart;   b. at least one segment having defined therein a ventilation port with a cover means for preventing projectiles from entering the shelter during a storm event while allowing equalization of pressure;   c two doors, each of which is hinged, with an inner edge of a first door adjacent to the inner edge of the second door in a closed position, and the doors adapted to swing freely inwardly or outwardly;   d. at least one door bar adapted to be received at each end thereof within a pair of end brackets affixed to the interior panel at either side of each door and also adapted to be received within at least one holder affixed to each of the doors; and   e. and a roof adapted to be affixed thereto,   
       whereby sound of articles striking the sidewalls during a storm event is lessened, and the two panels provide enhanced structural integrity compared with a single panel of comparable thickness. 
     
     
         19 . A method of installing an above-ground shelter comprising:
 a. providing modular wall segments having an outer panel separated from an inner panel a fixed distance apart by at least one structural member, the wall segments and structural members thereby defining a space between the panels;   b. providing at least one door means for allowing ingress and egress into an assembled shelter;   c. assembling a plurality of modular wall segments and a door means into a shelter having a desired shape;   d. affixing a roof to a top edge of the modular panels and the door segment;   e. affixing at least one transport means for rollingly moving the assembled shelter;   f. transporting the assembled shelter to a desired location within the structure; and   g. affixing the shelter to a floor at the desired location.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising at least one of the modular wall segments including a transportation attachment point for releasably engaging a transport means. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , the transport means a powered lift adapted to rollingly support the shelter. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising affixing a base plate to a bottom edge of the shelter, the base adapted to provide additional surface for a glue to bond the shelter to the floor and for passing at least one anchor therethrough to affix the shelter to the floor. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising prior to affixing the roof, using a hopper means to fill each modular segment with a desired material. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , the desired material selected from the group of sand, gravel, concrete, foam, plastic, fiberglass, shredded paper, or a polymer. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , the transport means comprising a jack-activated lift having at least one wheel adapted to rollingly support the transport means and an attachment point for releasably engaging a cooperating attachment point on a wall segment.