Storm Shelters

Abstract

The present disclosure describes and underground storm shelter that has a housing with at least one side wall and a floor, and the side wall and the floor create an interior cavity and an opening to the interior cavity. Further, the housing is supported by a frame coupled thereto. Additionally, the underground storm shelter has a door slidably coupled to the frame of the housing that is adapted to cover a first portion of the opening and to allow ingress to the interior cavity through the first portion of the opening. The underground storm shelter also has a hatch hingedly coupled to the frame of the housing that is adapted to cover a second portion of the opening a hydraulic system coupled to a first end of the hatch that is adapted to hingedly lift the hatch to expose the second portion of the opening for allowing egress from the interior cavity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An underground storm shelter, comprising:
 a housing comprising at least one side wall and a floor, the side wall and the floor creating an interior cavity and an opening to the interior cavity, the housing further supported by a frame;   a door slidably coupled to the frame of the housing that is adapted to cover a first portion of the opening, the door further adapted for allowing ingress to the interior cavity through the first portion of the opening when the door is actuated;   a hatch hingedly coupled to the frame of the housing that is adapted to cover a second portion of the opening; and   a hydraulic system coupled to a first end of the hatch and to an inside surface of the interior cavity, the hydraulic system adapted to hingedly lift the hatch to expose the second portion of the opening for allowing egress from the interior cavity when the hydraulic system is actuated.   
     
     
         2 . The underground storm shelter of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is rectangular prism shaped. 
     
     
         3 . The underground storm shelter of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is spherically shaped. 
     
     
         4 . The underground storm shelter of  claim 1 , wherein the slidable door and the hatch over lap at a center side point of the frame. 
     
     
         5 . The underground storm shelter of  claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic system comprises at least two hydraulic cylinders coupled to an inside surface of the side wall. 
     
     
         6 . The underground storm shelter of  claim 5 , wherein the hydraulic cylinders are slidably coupled to two pistons, respectively. 
     
     
         7 . The underground storm shelter of  claim 6 , wherein the hydraulic system comprises a controller coupled to the hydraulic cylinders for controlling opening and closing of the hatch. 
     
     
         8 . The underground storm shelter of  claim 1 , further comprising a ratchet strap coupled on a first end to a member of the hydraulic system and on a second end to a stop mounted on an inside wall of the interior cavity, the ratchet strap comprising a plurality of angled slots for receiving the stop. 
     
     
         9 . The underground storm shelter of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of stairs descending from the first portion of the opening.