STORM SHELTER

Abstract

A storm shelter (20) is provided which includes a front wall (22), rear wall (24), and retractable side wall (28, 30) and top wall (26) assemblies, whereby the shelter to be easily deployed and thereafter stowed between a retracted storage condition and an expanded use condition. The front wall (22) is equipped with a door (38), which can be selectively locked or unlocked so as to allow opening of the door from the inside or outside of the shelter. The shelter (20) is particularly useful when installed in a basement, garage, residence, commercial or industrial building, school or other habitable area, and provides excellent safety and security.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is concerned with a storm shelter for protecting occupants against violent weather such as hurricanes and tornados. More particularly, it is concerned with a storm shelter which is selectively expandable and retractable between a retracted or folded storage position and an expanded use position. The preferred storm shelters of the invention are particularly suited for use in interior confined areas, such as basements. In particularly preferred embodiments, the storm shelter may be provided with armor which allows the storm shelter to be used as a safe room for protection against intruders.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Traditionally, persons seeking shelter from violent weather such as tornados, hurricanes and the like sought protection in underground areas such as shelters dug into the earth or basements. These traditional storm shelters used the surrounding earth and/or concrete walls and either framed or concrete ceilings to protect the occupants from the consequences of violent weather such as high winds, flying debris, and falling or collapsing structures.

More recently, various designs for storm shelters have been developed either as stand-alone shelters or which augment traditional basements or storm shelters dug into the earth. Examples of these more recent designs for storm shelters include those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,481,837, 5,953,866, 6,085,475, 6,131,343, 6,385,920, 6,401,403, 6,401,409, D466,220, 6,948,281, 7,797,888, D640,390 and 8,176,692.

The desire for additional protection within a structure intended for human occupation is not limited to protection against inclement weather. There may also arise a need for protecting the occupants of structures against intruders, such as those carrying firearms or other weapons which threaten the safety of occupants. So-called “safe rooms” have been constructed to provide such protection.

While both traditional and the aforementioned more recent designs for storm shelters and so-called safe rooms provide improved protection against violent weather and/or intruders, they suffer a common drawback in that whether above or below ground, they occupy considerable space and/or require excavation or expensive construction.

Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a simplified, relatively low cost storm shelter design which can be unobtrusively stored in a retracted or folded condition, but which can be readily opened to an expanded use position to provide shelter on a moment's notice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes the problems outlined above, and provides a high-strength storm shelter, which can be readily moved between a retracted or folded storage position and an expanded use position presenting an enclosed space. The shelter may be used in an indoor location such as a basement, or may be used in outdoor locations. The shelter includes a back wall, an opposed front wall, and a top wall. A pair of laterally spaced apart sidewall assemblies operably interconnect the back and front walls in order to permit selective movement of one of the front and back walls relative to the other between a retracted storage position wherein the front and back walls are relatively proximal to each other, and an expanded use position wherein the front and back wall are relatively spaced from each other. Preferably, the back wall is designed to be stationary and to be affixed to a floor and/or wall, with the front wall, top wall, and said sidewall assemblies retractable relative to the back wall.

In preferred practice, the front wall is equipped with an openable door and locking structure, and the sidewall assemblies are centrally hinged so as to retract or fold inwardly when the shelter is in its storage position. Likewise, the top wall has a pair of panels hinged so that, as the shelter is retracted, the top wall panels pivot to a retracted position.

The shelter may be used in the event of anticipated violent weather, or alternately as a safe room. In the latter event, the components of the shelter may be formed of heavy duty armor metal. But, in any case, the shelters of the invention may be easily moved between the retracted and expanded positions thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a storm shelter in accordance with the invention, illustrating the shelter in its fully expanded, use configuration;

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of storm shelter illustrated in FIG. 1, viewing one sidewall and the rear wall of the shelter;

FIG. 3 is another bottom perspective view of the storm shelter illustrated in FIG. 1, viewing one sidewall and the front wall of the shelter;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the shelter in its retracted condition, viewing the inner face of the front wall of the shelter;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the shelter in its fully expanded, use position, with the front entrance door being open;

FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of the shelter illustrated in FIG. 5, and viewing the rear wall thereof;

FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of the shelter, shown in a partially expanded position to depict the retractable, inwardly foldable sidewalls of the shelter;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary top view of the partially expanded shelter illustrated in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a side view of the shelter illustrated in FIGS. 7-8;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary rear perspective view of the shelter in its fully retracted condition to illustrate the details of the foldable, retractable sidewalls;

FIG. 11 is a rear perspective view of the shelter in its fully retracted, storage position;

FIG. 12 is a bottom view of the fully retracted shelter illustrated in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a side view of the fully retracted shelter illustrated in FIGS. 10-11;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary, perspective, exploded view of the outer face of the entrance door of the shelter, showing components of the locking mechanism for the door; and

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary, perspective, exploded view of the inner face of the entrance door of the shelter, and showing the locking mechanism for the door.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Turning now to the drawings, a storm shelter 20 is illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 in its fully expanded, use position. Generally speaking, the shelter 20 includes a front wall 22, an opposed rear wall 24, a top wall assembly 26, and a pair of laterally spaced apart sidewall assemblies 28 and 30. As illustrated, in the expanded or use position, the shelter 20 provides an internal space or region 32 of sufficient size to hold and protect several individuals.

In more detail, the front wall 22 includes a segmented outer panel 34 having a central doorway 36 with a swingable door 38 mounted therein on an upright, heavy duty piano hinge 40. As shown in FIG. 5, for example, the outer panel 34 may include outboard outer panel sections 34a and an intermediate outer panel section 34b located above doorway 36. As best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the panel 34 is supported on an internal frame including a bottom rail 42 and a pair of upright, bolted together, vertical reinforcements 44 and 46 respectively located on opposite sides of doorway 36, and a segmented top panel 48 having the segments thereof interconnected by means of inner and outer connector plates 50, and with the outboard segments equipped with slots 51. The bottom rail 42 may be mounted by bolts 41 extending through upright slots 43 through the outer panel 34 and plates 45 secured to the bottom rail 42 and held by nuts 47 whereby the bottom rail 42 may be adjusted relative to the outer panel 34 to accommodate a slope or uneven surface in a supporting surface. The front wall 22 also has, adjacent each lateral end thereof, an inner, rearwardly and transversely extending box beams 52, and an outer, rearwardly and transversely extending side marginal plate 54; a wheel 56 is mounted to each marginal plate 54 for purposes to be described. The forward edge of top panel 48 is equipped with an elongated, upstanding abutment plate 58, whereas the rearward edge thereof has a laterally extending tension bar 59 which provides reinforcement and aids the connector plates 50 in retaining the segments of the top panel 48 in a connected, side-by-side position.

The rear wall 24 is in opposition to front wall 24 and includes an imperforate, segmented rear panel 60 interconnected by means of an internal, interconnected grid of vertically and horizontally extending reinforcements 62 and 64. The panel 60 also has a pair of forwardly extending side marginal plates 66, and a forwardly extending top panel 68. An abutment plate 70 is secured to the upper margin of panel 60, as shown. The bottom edges of the panel 60 and marginal plates 66 have interconnected, inwardly extending floor connection flanges 72, which receive connectors 74. As explained below, the flanges 72 effectively form the connection base for the shelter 20.

Top wall assembly 26 is made up of a pair of laterally extending, front and rear top panels 76 and 78 interconnected by means of an elongated piano hinge 80. A pair of identical, elongated links 82 are respectively pivoted to each of the side marginal plates 66 and the adjacent end of piano hinge 80. The forward end of panel 76 has an elongated, outwardly extending, generally L-shaped leg 84, and similarly the rearward edge of panel 78 is equipped with an elongated, rearwardly extending, L-shaped leg 86. As explained in more detail below, when the shelter 20 is expanded from its retracted to its expanded, use position, the top wall assembly 28 extends outwardly by virtue of the pivoting of the links 82 and the action of piano hinge 80, in order to cover the internal space or region 32.

The sidewall assemblies 28 and 30 are mirror images of each other, and thus only a single such assembly need be described. In particular, the sidewall assembly 28 includes upright front and rear panels 88 and 90 interconnected by means of a vertically extending central piano hinge 92. The forward edge of panel 88 is pivotally connected to the adjacent box beam 52 by means of upright piano hinge 94; likewise, the rear edge of panel 90 is pivotally connected to the endmost vertical reinforcement 62 via hinge 96. In order to maintain the sidewalls in the extended use position thereof, the interior surface of the panels 88, 90 are equipped with generally U-shaped clips 97, which receive cross-braces 97a, which extends substantially the full distance between the front and rear walls 22, 24 (FIG. 2).

The door 38 is provided with a locking arrangement, which allows the door to be opened from either the inside or the outside of the shelter. Specifically, the door 38 has a handle 98 and three vertically spaced apart substantially L-shaped slots 100. The interior of the door has three identical locking assemblies 102. Each such assembly includes an elongated, tubular guide 104, a spaced abutment plate 106, and an L-shaped locking member 108 equipped with an outwardly extending operator rod 110. Additionally, a vertical locking plate 112 is provided adjacent doorway 36 and has three vertically spaced apart, strategically located locking apertures 114 therethrough. In order to lock 38 when the shelter is in its expanded use configuration, each of the locking members 108 are manipulated individually, to first align the operator rod 110 thereof with a corresponding slot 100, followed by rotation of the member 108 to align the end thereof with the adjacent guide 104. Thereupon, the member 108 is rotated with the operator rod 110 within the slot 100, and the member 108 is then axially slid along the length of the slot to cause the member 108 to pass through guide 104 and into the adjacent locking aperture 114. In the final step, the member 108 is rotated downwardly to come into close adjacency with the abutment plate 106. In this condition, the door 38 is firmly locked and inadvertent movement of the member 108 is prevented by means of the plate 106. As can be appreciated, the door 38 may be opened by reversing this procedure from inside the shelter 20. However, the door may also be opened by manipulation of the operator rods 110 from the exterior of the shelter. In the event that the shelter 20 is to be used as a safe room, the locking members 108 may be manipulated in the same fashion to lock door 38, except that the rods 110 remain inside the enclosure so that an intruder does not have the ability to open door 38.

In the use of storm shelter 20, the unit is first securely attached to a concrete or similar floor, such as the floor 116 illustrated in FIG. 1, through use of the connectors 74 passed through the connection base afforded by the flanges 72. The shelter may be retracted or expanded, as desired by the user. In the expanded condition (FIGS. 1-3 and 5-6), the front wall 22 is fully separated from the rear wall 24; the sidewall assemblies 28 and 30 are likewise fully extended; and the top wall assembly is fully extended. In more detail, as the front wall 22 is shifted forwardly, it rolls on the wheels 56 over the floor surface, and the panels 88 and 90 of the sidewall assemblies move from a retracted position to a fully extended position by appropriate pivoting of the hinges 92-96. Furthermore, during this sequence, the links 82 pivot the top wall panels 76 and 78 through the medium of the central hinge 80 until the respective legs 84 and 86 come into contact respectively with the top panels 48 and 68. In this manner, interior space or region 32 of the shelter is formed and is completely surrounded by the structure of the shelter. The occupants can then enter the shelter through doorway 36 and close and lock the door 38, as previously described using the locking assemblies 102. In order to ensure that the shelter is maintained in its expanded position, cross-braces 97a are placed within the sidewall clips 97.

When the occupants desire to leave the shelter 20, the locking assemblies 102 are released and the door 38 is opened. Thereupon, to store the storm shelter 20 in a minimized volume condition, the front wall 22 can be pushed toward rear wall 24. As this occurs, the sidewall assemblies 28 and 30 fold together and top wall assembly 26 simultaneously retracts. Specifically, the front and rear top panels 76 and 78 pivot together through the medium of central hinge 80 and links 82. The latter being accommodated by the slots 51. Simultaneously, the sidewall assembly panels 88 and 90 retract by folding inwardly around the hinges 92-96. In the fully retracted condition of the shelter 20 (FIGS. 10-13), the side marginal plates 54 of the front wall 22 form the outer margin of the shelter, with the rear wall marginal plates 66 inboard thereof. The L-shaped legs 84, 86 of the front and rear top panels 76, 78 also come into engagement with the abutment plates 58 and 70 (FIG. 13).

It will also be appreciated that an additional supporting connection can be afforded the shelter 20 by connecting rear panel 60 to an upright wall. This additional connection does not detract from the operability of the shelter 20 and is sometimes recommended in order to provide a maximum strength and security.

Additionally, it will be understood that the components of the shelter 20 are preferably formed of high-strength metal, particularly if it is anticipated that the shelter will be used as a safe room. If further protection and security is desired, additional armor plates can be connected to the structure or ballistic fabric such as Kevlar blankets could be installed by the occupants on the interior of the front wall, sidewalls and top wall assembly. Even with heavy duty armor materials, the shelter can be readily expanded or retracted without difficulty.

Claims

1. A shelter comprising:

a back wall;

a front wall;

a top wall; and

a pair of laterally spaced apart sidewall assemblies operably interconnecting said back wall and front wall in order to permit selective movement of one of the front and back wall relative to the other, between a retracted storage position wherein the front and back walls are relatively proximal to each other, and an expanded use position wherein the front and back wall are relatively spaced from each other, to define, with said top wall and said sidewall assemblies, an enclosed space.

2. The shelter of claim 1, said front wall including an openable door permitting access to an interior of the shelter when the shelter is in the expanded or retracted position thereof.

3. The shelter of claim 1, including structure operable to secure said shelter to a support surface.

4. The shelter of claim 1, said front wall having a pair of transverse, rearwardly extending side margins each supporting a wheel to facilitate movement of the front wall towards and away from the back wall.

5. The shelter of claim 4, said back wall having a pair of transverse, forwardly extending side margins, said rearwardly extending front wall margins overlying said back wall side margins when said shelter is in said retracted storage position.

6. The shelter of claim 1, each of said sidewall assemblies including a forward panel and a rearward panel, said forward panel being pivotally coupled with said front wall and said rear panel pivotally coupled to said back wall, said front and rear panels being pivotally connected together, said forward and rearward panels being in substantial alignment when said shelter is in said expanded use position, said forward and rearward panels being pivoted towards each other when said shelter is in said retracted storage position.

7. The shelter of claim 6, including cross-brace structure operable to maintain said forward and rearward panels in said substantial alignment when the shelter is in said expanded use position.

8. The shelter of claim 7, said cross-brace structure comprising a generally U-shaped bracket secured to each of the inner faces of said forward and rearward panels, and a rigid cross-bar received within said channels and spanning the pivotal connection between forward and rearward panels.

9. The shelter of claim 1, said top wall assembly comprising a pair of side-by-side front and rear panels, said front panel being pivotally connected to said front wall, said rear panel pivotally connected to said back wall, said front and rear panels being pivotally interconnected for movement between an aligned condition when the shelter is in said expanded use position, and an upwardly extended condition when the shelter is said retracted storage position.

10. The shelter of claim 9, including an oblique pivot rod operatively connected to the pivotal connection between said front and rear panels and said back wall to facilitate movement of said top wall between said expanded use position and said retracted storage position.

11. The shelter of claim 1, said front wall including an openable door permitting access to an interior of the shelter, including a door locking assembly accessible both within said enclosed space and exteriorly of said shelter for selective locking and unlocking of said door.

12. The shelter of claim 11, said locking assembly comprising a slide lock operably supported on the interior face of said door and including a shiftable locking member engageable with a corresponding locking portion of the front wall, said locking member shiftable between an unlocked position out of engagement with said locking portion and an extended position wherein said member is engaged with said locking portion, there being a slot extending through said door, and an operator secured to said locking member extending through said door slot, whereby said locking member may be shifted between said unlocked position and said locked position by manipulation of said operator exteriorly of the shelter.

13. The shelter of claim 1, wherein the front wall includes an upright panel and a bottom rail adjustably mounted to the upright panel.