STACKABLE BUILDING STRUCTURE FRAME

Abstract

A stackable building structure frame of the shelter type whereby to shelter shopping carts. The stackable building structure frame can be secured in a collapsed condition whereby to facilitate transport, storage and the erection of such building structures. The frame is comprised of reinforced connecting plates secured to opposed corners of a roof frame and to a vertical support post secured thereto. The connecting plates permit the vertical posts, which constitute the side walls of the structures, to be folded under the roof assembly. The vertical posts are secured to the connecting plates by a pair of connections one of which is a hinge connection. These vertical posts are interconnected in a folded condition by connecting vertical leg braces which are also the adjustable legs for the vertical posts. Stacking corner support legs are detachably secured to opposed corners of the collapsed building structure frame to permit stacking of these collapsed frames one on top of each other.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a stackable building structure frame of the shelter type and wherein the structure frame is displaceable to a collapsed condition and provided with stacking corner support legs for the stacking of same one on top of each other.

BACKGROUND ART

Small building structures are known in the art whereby to provide shelter for all sorts of devices or to provide shelter for people. The structure of the present invention is one that is preferably, although not exclusively, adapted to shelter shopping carts in parking lots of large shopping centers Usually these shopping carts are left exposed to the elements in a corral which is usually formed of interconnected tubular members secured into the pavement of the parking lots. These corrals do not protect the shopping carts from rain, snow and the sun.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is a feature of the present invention to provide a stackable building structure frame which is collapsible into a stable compact stackable form and provided with supports whereby a plurality of these collapsed structures can be stacked one on top of each other.

Another feature of the present invention is to provide a collapsible structure frame of the shelter type whereby to facilitate the transport, storage and erection of these structures.

Another feature of the present invention is to provide a stackable building structure frame of the shelter type and wherein the structure when in a collapsed stacked form can be easily handled by forklift trucks

Another feature of the present invention is to provide a stackable building structure which can be easily erected from a collapsed condition by the disconnection and connection of very few fasteners.

According to the above features, from a broad aspect, the present invention provides a stackable building structure frame comprising a roof frame having a rectangular outline. A reinforcing connecting plate is secured to opposed corners of the roof frame. A vertical support post is secured to the connecting plate by two spaced-apart connections lying on a vertical axis. One of the connections is a pivot connection and the other connection is an arresting connection. The vertical posts, secured to opposed ones of the connecting plates on opposed sides of the roof frame, have their pivot connection oriented to provide a compact collapsed frame structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the stackable building structure frame of the present invention in an erected condition;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view, partly fragmented, of the detail C of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end view showing the stackable building structure frame being folded to a collapsed condition;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the building structure frame in a fully collapsed condition;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the stackable building structure frame in a collapsed condition with stacking connector support legs secured thereto as well as connecting vertical leg braces secured to the vertical posts;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of detail A of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of detail C of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing three stackable building structure frames of the present invention in their compact collapsed stackable form and stacked one on top of the other by the corner support legs;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view, similar to FIG. 1, showing the stackable building structure frame of the present invention in an erected condition and wherein the pitched roof frame is provided with a peak connecting plate permitting the roof frame to be collapsed;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view, similar to FIG. 5, but showing the stackable building structure frame in a collapsed condition with the roof frame rafter members in a collapsed interconnected condition;

FIG. 11 is a fragmented view showing part of the construction of the connecting plate support bar; and

FIG. 12 is a perspective view, similar to FIG. 8, showing four stackable building structure frames with their collapsed roof frame in a stacked condition one on top of the other and wherein the collapsed frames are supported intermediate their opposed ends by connecting plate support bars on which the intermediate connecting plates are supported.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown generally at 10 the stackable building structure frame of the present invention. It is comprised of a roof frame 11 having a rectangular outline. As hereinshown the roof frame 11 is a pitched roof frame having opposed sloped rafter members 12 interconnected together by roof brace members 13. The rafter members 12 define, with a cross brace member 14, a triangular shaped truss.

As hereinshown a reinforced connecting plate 15 is secured to opposed four corners 16 of the roof frame 11. A vertical support post 17 is secured to each connecting plate 15 by two spaced-apart connections 18 and 19 as better seen in FIG. 2. These vertical connections lie on a vertical axis with one of said connections being a pivot connection, such as connection 18 and the other connection being an arresting connection, such as connection 19.

The vertical posts 17 and 17′ secured to opposed ones of the connecting plates 15 and 15′, on opposed sides of the roof frame 11, have their pivot connection and bracing connections inverted from one another as more clearly illustrated in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the cross brace 14 is also secured to the connecting plates 15 and 15′ at opposed ends thereof. The connecting plate is provided with pre-drilled holes 20 to permit all of these interconnections.

As shown in FIG. 1, the building structure frame may also comprise intermediate trusses and vertical posts depending on the length of the shelter to be fabricated. Bracing side wall members 21 interconnect the vertical posts together to form side wall members and to which covering material may be secured. Covering material is also securable at least on the rafters and the roof brace members 13.

With reference now to FIGS. 3 and 4 there is shown how the building structure frame of FIG. 1 is collapsed to a collapsed stackable form. In order to form this collapsed structure, the vertical posts have their arresting connections 19 disconnected whereby the posts can pivot on their pivot connections 18. This permits the vertical posts 17 and 17′ to be folded to a horizontal position, as shown in FIG. 4, whereby to constitute a folded structure with the vertical post disposed in a substantially horizontal plane and in a spaced-apart manner. Once all of these vertical posts are collapsed to this position, they are secured to one another, in pairs, by a connecting vertical leg brace 30. This leg brace constitutes an adjustable leg support brace which is placed at the bottom of the vertical posts. The leg brace 30 is provided with a foot plate 31 to rest on a ground surface. The vertical adjustable leg brace is also provided with a plurality of holes 32 to permit the height adjustment of the vertical posts. With the pairs of vertical legs interconnected together there is provided a stable compact collapsed stackable building frame structure.

In order to stack these collapsible building frames one on top of the other, a stacking corner support leg 33 is detachably secured to opposed corners 16 of the collapsed stackable structure. Each of the corner support legs 33, as better seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, have stacking connecting cup-shaped connectors 34 and 34′ secured to opposed ends thereof. These cup-shaped connectors are shaped to mate with one another, as shown in FIG. 8, when two or more of these collapsed building frames are disposed one on top of another, as shown in FIG. 8. The stacking corner support legs 33 are longer than the height of the building structure in the collapsed stackable form. Their lengths are selected whereby these frame structures are closely spaced to one another.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, there is further provided forklift engaging braces 35 secured in a spaced-apart manner across the building structure when in its collapsible stackable form. These braces are disposed substantially centrally of the collapsed structure and are engageable on either side of the collapsed roof frame. These forklift engaging braces are constituted by elongated inverted U-shaped channels 36 engaged between opposed engaging brackets 37 secured to opposed outer side longitudinal frame members 38 of the roof frame. The engaging brackets 37 have a hole 39 sufficiently dimensioned to permit the passage of the inverted U-shaped channels 36 and forklift fingers of a forklift truck, not shown herein.

Referring now to FIG. 9, there is shown another embodiment of the stackable building structure frame of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 9, the roof frame 11′ is again a pitched roof frame having opposed sloped rafter members 12′ but wherein the opposed slope rafter members 12′ are interconnected together adjacent a peak end 40 thereof by a peak connecting plate 41. The peak connecting plate 41, as better seen in FIG. 10, has opposed connecting arm portions 42 and 42′ each provided with sloped outer edges 43 and 43′. Holes 44 are spaced apart adjacent the slope outer edge 43 and provides at least two connections for each of the slope ratter members 12 and 12′. As hereinshown the uppermost hole 44 constitutes a pivot connection with its associated slope rafter member 12′ when connected by bolts. The other hole 44′ constitutes a second connection spaced from the pivot hole 44 whereby to rigidly secure the slope rafter members 12 and 12′ to the peak connecting plate 41 to constitute a pitch roof frame. Accordingly, by removing the fasteners 45 and 45′ on all the pitch roof rafter members, these rafter members can then be hinged on their connection with the hole 44 to assume a substantially horizontal collapsed position as illustrated in FIG. 10 wherein the opposed slope rafter members 12 and 12′ lie in a substantially horizontal plane in end-to-end relationship.

As shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, a connecting plate support bar 50 is removably secured to the reinforced connecting plates 15 and 15′ of the intermediate triangular shaped trusses 12″ whereby to provide an interconnecting support between the connecting plates 15 and 15′ of these intermediate trusses when two or more or a plurality of the folded structures, as illustrated in FIG. 10, are stacked one on top of the other. FIG. 12 illustrates four of these structures stacked one on top of the other. Accordingly, when a stack of these collapsed structures are picked up by a forklift truck, the frame maintains a rigid stacked pack which does not collapse or undergo stress in the middle portion of the span of the collapsible frames.

Each of these connecting plate support bars 50 are constructed from a tubular frame section and defines a straight connecting end section 51 for securement to a respective one of the intermediate connecting plates 15 or 15′ which is provided with holes to receive the fasteners 52 of this straight connecting end section 51. The connecting plate support bar then defines an outer vertical upwardly extending section 53, hereinshown as an upwardly curved section and an inner support straight arm 54 extending substantially parallel to the straight connecting end section 51 and spaced a predetermined distance thereabove whereby the connecting plates 15 and 15′ of the frame positioned thereover will rest onto the inner support straight arm section 54. Although not shown, this upper arm section 54 may be provided with a longitudinal groove on the upper surface thereof whereby to locate and restrain the bottom end of the connecting plate of an upper collapsed frame positioned thereover. However, it is pointed out that the stacking corner support legs 33, when mated on top of one another, align the entire frame in position. Accordingly, the connecting plates will all align themselves vertically when the collapsed frames are stacked one on top of the other.

It is within the ambit of the present invention to cover any obvious modifications of the preferred embodiment described herein provided such modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A stackable building structure frame comprising a roof frame having a rectangular outline, a reinforcing connecting plate secured to opposed corners of said roof frame, a vertical support post secured to said connecting plate by two spaced-apart connections lying on a vertical axis, one of said two spaced-apart connections being a pivot connection when the other of said two spaced-art connections is disconnected, and said other connection being an arresting connection, said vertical posts secured to opposed ones of said connecting plates on opposed sides of said roof frame having their said pivot connection positioned to provide a compact collapsed frame structure.

2. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 1 wherein said vertical posts, secured to opposed ones of said connecting plates on opposed sides of said roof frame have their pivot connection and arresting connections inverted from one another.

3. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 2 wherein said roof frame is a pitched roof frame having opposed sloped rafter members interconnected together by roof brace members; said rafter members defining, with a cross-brace member secured horizontally at opposed ends thereof, to opposed ones of said connecting plates on opposed sides of said roof frame, a triangular shaped truss.

4. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 3 wherein there is further provided an intermediate triangular shaped truss secured to opposed intermediate connecting plates, said intermediate connecting plates each having a vertical support post secured thereto.

5. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 4 wherein said vertical posts on respective ones of said opposed sides of said roof frame are interconnected together by bracing side wall members.

6. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 5 wherein said bracing side wall members are comprised by at least two spaced-apart horizontal bracing side wall members secured at opposed ends thereof to adjacent ones of said vertical posts.

7. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 3 wherein said vertical posts secured to opposed ones of said connecting plates are displaceable to a horizontal position on their respective pivot connections to constitute a folded structure with said vertical posts disposed in a substantially horizontal plane and spaced apart, and means to detachably secure said vertical posts secured to opposed ones of said connecting plates together in pairs in said substantially horizontal plane whereby said building structure frame is in a stable compact collapsed stackable form.

8. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 7 wherein said means to secure said vertical posts in pairs is an adjustable connecting vertical leg brace for a corresponding one of said vertical posts, there being one of said adjustable connecting vertical leg braces connected to said pairs of vertical posts adjacent each said connecting plates.

9. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 8 wherein each said leg brace is provided with a foot plate.

10. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 7 wherein there is further provided a stacking corner support leg detachably secured to opposed corners of said building structure frame in said collapsed stackable form; each said corner support leg having a stacking connecting cup-shaped connector secured to opposed ends thereof shaped to mate with one another when two or more of said building structure frames in said collapsed stackable form are disposed one on top of another; said stacking corner support leg being longer than the height of said building structure frame in said collapsed stackable form.

11. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 10 wherein there is further provided fork lift engaging braces secured spaced-apart across said building structure frame when in said collapsed stackable form, said braces being engageable on said sides of said roof frame.

12. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 11 wherein said fork lift engaging braces are elongated inverted U-shaped channels engaged between opposed engaging brackets secured to opposed outer side longitudinal frame members of said roof frame, said engaging rackets having a hole sufficient to permit the passage of fork lift fingers therein.

13. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 1 wherein said building structure frame is a shelter structure for shopping carts.

14. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 2 wherein said roof frame is a pitched roof frame having opposed sloped rafter members interconnected together adjacent a peak end of said sloped rafter members by peak connecting plates, each said opposed sloped rafter member having a first and a second spaced apart connection, said first connection being a pivot connection when said second connection is disconnected permitting said opposed sloped rafters to be in a substantially common horizontal plane.

15. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 14 wherein there is further provided an intermediate triangular shaped truss secured to opposed intermediate connecting plates, said intermediate connecting plates each having a vertical support post secured thereto, said rafter member defining, with a cross-brace member secured horizontally at opposed ends thereof, to opposed ones of said connecting plates on opposed sides of said roof frame, a triangular shaped truss.

16. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 15, wherein said vertical posts secured to opposed ones of said connecting plates are displaceable to a horizontal position on their respective pivot connections to constitute a folded structure with said vertical posts disposed in a substantially horizontal plane and spaced apart, and means to detachably secure said vertical posts secured to opposed ones of said connecting plates together in pairs in said substantially horizontal plane whereby said building structure frame is in a stable compact collapsed stackable form.

17. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 16 wherein there is further provided a connecting plate support bar removably secured to said connecting plates of said intermediate triangular shaped truss whereby to provide an interconnecting support between said connecting plates when two or more of said folded structures are stacked one on top of another.

18. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 17 wherein said connecting plate support bar has a straight connecting end section for securement to said connecting plate of said intermediate triangular shaped truss, an outer vertical upwardly extending section and an inner support straight arm section extending substantially parallel to said straight connecting end section and spaced a predetermined distance thereabove.

19. A stackable building structure frame as claimed in claim 14 wherein said peak connecting plate is a flat metal plate having opposed spaced connecting arm portions, each arm portion having a sloped upper edge having a pair of spaced connecting holes adjacent said sloped upper edge for receiving fasteners to constitute said first and second connections.