Structural protective shelter

• US 5,662,132 A
• Filed: 12/06/1996
• Issued: 09/02/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Herbert A.F. Larsen
• Original Assignee: Herbert A.F. Larsen
• Inventors: Larsen, Herbert A.F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Lanna
• Application Number:
  US08/761,355
• Time in Patent Office: 270 Days
• Field of Search: 135/122, 135/137, 135/156, 135/157, 135/130, 135/131, 135/136, 135/145, 135/900-902, 135/96, 5/414, 5/424
• US Class Current: 135/96
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/002 Anti-earthquake means
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 9/0237 Structural braces with damping devices

Abstract

A structural protective shelter designed to be used around and above beds, office chairs, or anywhere an occupant may be sitting, standing, or reclining. It is ideally suited for protective use against structural building collapse resulting from disasters such as earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, bomb blasts, etc. The shelter is ideally made of steel or like material and is comprised of a rectangular continuously framed base (18) from which rise four, vertical uprights (14), two pair becoming continuous to radiused corners and common overhead horizontal primary members (20). Between and perpendicular to said two overhead primary members is attached two horizontal overhead cross members (10). Between and perpendicular to said two overhead cross members is attached a handle bar grip (12) to be used to help an occupant to maintain position within the shelter during periods of violent movement. X-bracing is attached between one pair of verticals which share a common overhead primary member (22) and between the two sides of the shelter (16 and 24) as well as plate bracing (26) is attached over the rectangle shape formed by the two overhead primary members and the two overhead cross members. The four vertical uprights are designed to repel axial force of falling objects down the length of said uprights, while the bracing systems are designed to repel diagonal and lateral forces against side collapse of said shelter.

Claims

1. A structural protective shelter of adequate size to accommodate one or more human occupants, said shelter being of sufficient strength and rigidity to withstand falling debris and/or collapsing building structure with a structural integrity to repel both vertically downward force as well as diagonal and lateral forces, comprising:

(a) a base with adequate dimension to support;

(b) a plurality of vertically upright members, said vertical uprights being divided into pairs with each pair rising vertically upwards and perpendicular to the said base, and becoming continuous with corners and a common horizontal overhead member where said pairs of verticals are located parallel and in mirror to each other at a distance dependent on the dimension of the longitude of the said base;

(c) between and perpendicular to the said two horizontal overhead primary members is attached a plurality of horizontal overhead cross members, said cross members being located parallel to each other at predetermined distance apart;

(d) between one pair of related vertical uprights, said uprights which share a common horizontal overhead primary member, is attached a means of bracing whereby laterally forced, side collapse of the protective shelter is impeded;

(e) between either side of each two pairs of unrelated vertical uprights, said uprights which do not share a common horizontal overhead primary member, is attached a means of bracing whereby laterally forced, longitudinal collapse of the protective shelter is impeded;

(f) between the rectangular shape formed by the outermost horizontal overhead primary members and the two horizontal overhead cross members is attached a means of bracing whereby laterally forced, diagonal collapse of the protective shelter is impeded.

2. The structural protective shelter of claim 1 wherein said protective shelter is comprised of:

(a) a rectangular shaped continuously perimetered base frame with adequate dimension to support, at the center of each of its corners;

(b) a vertically upright member, said four vertical uprights being divided into two pair with each pair rising vertically upwards and perpendicular to the said base, and becoming continuous with radiused corners and a common horizontal overhead member where the said two pairs of verticals are located parallel and in mirror to each other at a distance dependent on the dimension of the longitude of the said base;

(c) between and perpendicular to the said two horizontal overhead primary members is attached two horizontal overhead cross members of equal structural dimension to their perpendicular connectents, the said two cross members being located parallel to each other at a symmetrical distance apart, each connectent being located near the radiused corners to the said overhead primary horizontal members;

(d) between one pair of related vertical uprights, said uprights which share a common horizontal overhead primary member, is attached two diagonal members, in mirror, each commencing at a connection point near the bottom of one vertical upright and terminating at a connection point near the top of the other vertical upright;

(e) between either side of the two pairs of unrelated vertical uprights, said uprights which do not share a common horizontal overhead primary member, is attached diagonal structural bracing, each side comprised of two members in mirror, each commencing at a connection point near the bottom of one vertical upright and terminating at a predetermined connection point on the other vertical upright;

(f) immediately above each of the said two sets of side diagonal structural bracings, and parallel to the base and overhead cross members, is attached a horizontal member which spans the distance between each pair of unrelated vertical uprights;

(g) enclosing the rectangular shape formed by the two horizontal overhead primary members and the two horizontal overhead cross members is attached a combination structural/light debris plate cover.

3. The structural protective shelter of claim 2 wherein said structural bracing:

(a) between one pair of related vertical uprights, is comprised of a plate of structural material, said plate commencing at a connection point near the bottom of said vertical uprights and terminating at a connection point near the top of said vertical uprights;

(b) between either side of the two pairs of unrelated vertical uprights, is comprised of a plate of structural material, said plate commencing at a connection point near the bottom of said vertical uprights and terminating at a predetermined connection point on said vertical uprights;

(c) enclosing the rectangular shape formed by the two horizontal overhead primary members and the two horizontal overhead cross members is attached a combination structural/light debris plate cover.

4. The structural protective shelter of claim 2 wherein said structural bracing:

(a) between one pair of related vertical uprights, comprising two diagonal members, each said member commencing at a connection point near the center of the perimeter base plate between two related vertical uprights and terminating at a predetermined connection point up the nearest said related vertical upright;

(b) between either side of the two pairs of unrelated vertical uprights, comprising two pairs of diagonal members, each said member of each pair, commencing at a connection point near the center of the perimeter base plate between the two unrelated vertical uprights and terminating at a predetermined connection point up the nearest said unrelated vertical upright.

5. The structural protective shelter of claim 2 wherein between the said rectangular shape formed by the two horizontal overhead primary members and the two horizontal overhead cross members is attached two diagonal members, in mirror, each commencing and terminating at diagonal connection points near the connectent points of the two horizontal overhead cross members.

6. The structural protective shelter of claim 2 wherein the said shelter is made of metal.

7. The structural protective shelter of claim 1 wherein the said shelter is made of metal.

8. The structural protective shelter of claim 1, wherein said base being of sufficient strength and rigidity to support a compressive axial load down on said vertical uprights;

said vertical uprights may be cantilevered over a non-structural substratum.

9. The structural protective shelter of claim 8 wherein the said base is comprised of a continuously perimetered base frame.

10. The structural protective shelter of claim 8 wherein the said base is made of metal.