US3714749A

US3714749A - Portable building construction

Info

Publication number: US3714749A
Application number: US00177480A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Aitken
Original assignee: Instant Structures Inc
Current assignee: Instant Structures Inc
Priority date: 1971-09-02
Filing date: 1971-09-02
Publication date: 1973-02-06
Anticipated expiration: 1990-02-06

Abstract

A building construction having a collapsible roof and a collapsible floor coupled to the roof, whereby the floor and roof form a unit which can be alternately expanded and collapsed. The roof unit has a number of hingedly interconnected sections and the floor unit has a plurality of hingedly interconnected panels with the sections and panels being disposed to permit the same to be substantially parallel with each other when the roof and floor are collapsed. When expanded, the roof forms side openings which can be at least partially covered by sidewall panels hingedly connected to the adjacent roof sections.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Aitken 1 PORTABLE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION [75] lnventor: James B. Aitken, El Cerrito. Calif.

[73] Assignee: Instant Structures, lnc., Albany,

[22] Filed: Sept. 2, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 177,480

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No; 747,215, July 24, 1968 abandoned.

[52] U.S. Cl ..52/70, 52/71 [58] Field of Search ..52/6 4, 70, 71, 82, 79, 143, 52/80, 81; 135/1 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,732,510 10/1929 Gray ..52 70 1,912,502 6/1933 Stotzer et al. ....52/7O 2,572,461 10/1951 Fierle ..52/70 1 1 Feb. 6, 1973 Primary ExaminerPrice C. Faw, Jr. A tt0rneyTownsend and Townsend [57] ABSTRACT A building construction having a collapsible roof and a collapsible floor coupled to the roof, whereby the floor and roof form a unit which can be alternately expanded and collapsed. The roof unit has a number of hingedly interconnected sections and the floor unit has a plurality of hingedly interconnected panels with the sections and panels being disposed to permit the same to be substantially parallel with each other when the roof and floor are collapsed. When expanded, the roof forms side openings which can be at least partially covered by sidewall panels hingedly connected to the adjacent roof sections.

18 Claims, 31 Drawing Figures.

PATENTED FEB 61ers 3.714.749

sum 10F s FlG lo FlG lb FlG c IZIVVENTOR. JAMES BAITKEN BY ATTORNEYS PATENTEDFEH 6l973 3.714.749

SHEET 20F s 34 34 INVENTOR 32 36 36 32 BY JAMES B.A|TKEN ATTORNEYS PATENIEDFEB 6 I973 3,714,749

SHEET 5 OF 5 F lG 22 INVENTOR. 92

JAMES B. AITKEN BY I06 /mW/ VW ATTORNEYS PORTABLE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 747,215, filed July 24, 1968, and now abandoned.

This invention relates to improvements in the construction of buildings or the like and, more particularly, to an improved portable building capable of being collapsed and expanded.

While the present invention may be applicable to a number of different uses, it is especially adapted for use as a portable building which can be carried from place to place in a collapsed condition and expanded at a building site into an operative condition so that it is substantially ready for use immediately. Such a con struction fulfills many needs for a portable building. For instance, the building of this invention is suitable for portable classroom use, wherein classroom space is required for a limited time and in areas at which minimum land improvements are called for or are desired. The building of this invention can 'be made in standard sizes and configurations and, by virtue ofthis feature, a number of buildings of this invention can'be arranged in side-by-side relationship to form a building complex of relatively large dimensions. Such a construction greatly increases the usable space at a particular site and minimizes the time required to prepare the land at the site as well as the construction time necessary to provide the additional space.

Many other advantages accrue from the use of the present invention. The building of this invention can be removed from one site and taken to a storage area or transported to a'second site, as desired. No permanent attachment to the ground is necessary to utilize the building of this invention, although the building can be permanently attached in place if such is deemed necessary or desirable.

The building of this invention is also constructed so that it is possible that the building can be dropped from aircraft by parachute or lowered from a helicopter to a building site, and means can be provided which would permit the building to move into its expanded condition before or after it strikes theground and thereby be ready for immediate use. Thus, the invention is further suitable for use in modern warfare where portable shelters, command posts, or the like are required in remote sections of an area which cannot be penetrated by land vehicles.

The essential feature of the invention is its collapsible roof which can be combined with a floor so that the roof and floor can move together from collapsed conditions to expanded conditions. The roof has sections The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved building construction having a collapsible roof capable of'being combined with a collapsible floor to present'a building unit which can be erected in a,

minimum of time'and with a minimum effort while, at the same time, providing a construction which is simple and rugged and adapted for a wide variety of uses. Another object of this invention is to provide a building of the type described .whose collapsible roof has sections which are disposed, when the roof is collapsed,

to nest certain of the panels of a multi-paneled, collapsible floor associated with the r00f,.So that the roof and floor will occupy a minimum of space when they are collapsed to permit them to be easily moved from place toplace or stored, as desired.

Another object of this invention is to provide a building construction formed of a plurality of collapsible buildings of the type described with the buildings being arranged in alignment with each other to form a single building of increased dimensions while, at the same time, permitting the individual buildings to maintain their collapsible character. I

A further object of this invention is the provision of a collapsible building of the type described wherein the roof and floor of the building have improved hinge means to permit the same to be readily collapsed and expanded and to permit the roof sections and floor which are disposed to accommodate certain panels of the floor in a nested relationship, whereby the floor panels and roof sections are substantially parallel with each other when the building is collapsed. This construction permits the building to occupy a minimum of space while it is collapsed and facilitates the transfer of the building from one location to another as well as minimizes the space required to store the building.

Another feature of the invention is that the building can be formed from any one of a wide variety of building materials and can be made inexpensively while still being simple and rugged in construction. Such construction, therefore, adapts the building for sudden shocks, such as being air-dropped in remote areas, so that the components of the building remain-intact even though they are subjected to environmental extremes when they are handled.

panels to be substantially parallel with each other when the building is collapsed to facilitate transfer and storage thereof. Other objects of this invention will become apparent as the following specification progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings for an illustration of the several embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings: FIG. la is a side elevational view of a four-sided building having a collapsible roof, floor and sidewalls; FIG. 1b is a top plan view of the building of FIG. 1a; FIG. 1c is a side elevational view of the building when the latteris collapsed;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a six-sided building of this invention in its expanded condition;

FIG. 2a is a view similar to FIG. 2 but looking at the building from a different. angle;

FIG. 3 is a schematic top plan view of a building complex formed by a number of buildings of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the expanded floor of the building of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the expanded roof of the building;

FIG. 6-is a side elevational view of collapsed condition;

FIG. 7 is an end elevational view of the collapsed building of FIG. 6;

, FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but showing the building partly expanded; I

FIG. 9 is a view of the building expanded to a greater degree than shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is 'a fragmentary, cross-sectional view of a pair of hingedly interconnected, expanded roof sections;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10 but showing the collapsed roof sections with floor panels therebetween;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged, fragmentary top plan view of the expanded floor;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional the building in its view of the floor portion of FIG. 12;

forth hereinafter.

I building with collapsible sidewalls thereon;

FIG. 18 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view of a pair of expanded roof panels joined together by another type of hinge;

FIG. 18a is a view similar to FIG. 18, but showing the roof sections in their collapsed condition;

FIG. 19 is a view similar to FIG. 18, but showing still another type of hinge;

FIG. 19a is a view similar to FIG. 19, but showing the roof sections collapsed;

FIG. 20 is a view similar to FIG. l8but showing a third type of binge;

FIG. 21 is a fragmentary, side elevational, interior view of the building showing a hinge interconnecting adjacent portions of the floor and roof;

FIG. 22 is an exterior view of the structure of FIG. 21;

FIG. 23 is a top plan view, partly in phantom, of a collapsible base for the building of FIGS. 2 and 2a;

. FIG. 24 is a fragmentary, top plan view of the base of FIG. 23 when it is collapsed; and

FIG. 24a, is an end elevational view of a portion of the base of FIG. 23.

One embodiment of the building of this invention is shown in FIGS. 1a, lb and 1c and includes a four-sided building 5 having a collapsible roof 5a, a collapsible floor 5!) and one or more collapsible sidewalls 5c. The building'is movable from an expanded condition (FIG.

1a) with the roof overlying the floor to a collapsed condition (FIG. with the roof, floor and sidewalls substantially parallel with each other. For clarity, the floor is omitted from FIG. 10 but the teachings of the invention with. respect to the collapsing of the floor will be described in another embodiment of the invention set Roof 5a has aplurality of generally triangular roof sections 7 which are substantially identical to each I other and which are hinged together along contiguous edges in a manner to permit the roof to collapse and ex:

pand. Each section 7 has

side edges

7a, 7b and 7c. Edge 7a of each roof section is hinged to the corresponding edge 7a of the next adjacent roof section. Similarly,

edge 71; is hinged to the correspondingedge 7b of the section next adjacent thereto. Edge 70 is hinged to an upper edge of the adjacent sidewall Sc. While FIG. 1a shows edges 7b to be sloping, they can be horizontalif desired.

Floor 5b will be coupled by hinges 8, at the four corners of the building to upright portions 8a of the ad'- jacent sidewalls, only a single hinge of the upright portion 8a to which it is attached being shown in FIG. la. The floor has a number of panels which are triangular in configuration and which are projections of the roof sections 7 thereabove,.i.e., they have the same'sha'pe as the portions of the roof sections which they underlie.

As will be set forth in more detail with respect to another embodiment of the invention, the floor, when the building is collapsed, will have certain of its panels nested between particular roof sections. To achieve this, some of the hinges of the building will provide for spacing between such roof sections to accommodate this nesting of the floor panels.

Each sidewall 5c includes a pair of sidewall panels 9 which are hinged together along a common line 9a extending downwardly from roof 5a and are hinged to the adjacent edges 70 of the corresponding roof section 7. When the building is collapsed, the sidewall panels 9 assume the positions shown in FIG. 1c. Since the floor is hinged to the sidewalls only at the corners of the building, the floor can collapse simultaneously with the collapsing of the roof and sidewalls.

In building 5, roof 5a is spaced above floor 5b. In another embodiment to be described, the floor and roof are hinged together.

Another embodiment of the building of this invention is denoted by the numeral 10 and is'shown in its expanded condition in FIGS. 2 and 2a. Building 10, which is six-sided, includes a roof 12 hingedly connected to a floor v14 to form a unitary construction which permits the roof and floor to be collapsed and expanded together. FIG. 4 illustratesthe expanded condition of floor 14 and FIG. 5 illustrates the expanded condition of roof 12. FIG. 6 shows building 10 in its collapsed condition, wherein roof 12 and floor 14 have sections and panels, respectively, which are in substantial parallelism with each. other by virtue of the articulated character of the roof and floor as hereinafter described.

Roof 12 is comprised of a plurality of generally triangular sections 16, each of which is substantially identical in all respects to the others. Each section 16 has three

peripheral margins

18,20 and 22 of predetermined lengths. Margins l8 and 20 are convergent as the upper extremity of roof 12 is approached.

Margins

20 and 22 are convergent as the lowermost extremity of the roof is approached. The portion denoted by the numeral 24' and defined by the convergence of

margins

20 and 22 presents a supporting leg for the corresponding section 16, portion 24 being hingedly connected to floor 14, specifically at one peripheral extremity thereof by a hinge 31 (FIG. 2a).

' Margin 18 of each section 16 is hingedly connected tothe margin 18 of the next adjacent section 16. The

hinge at this connection may be of the typeshown in FIGS.,10 and 11,-wherein a sparv 26 carries a'pair of hinges 28 at its longitudinal edges for connection with the adjacent sections 16, whereby thesections are slightly spaced apart, the purpose of which is to accommodate a pair of floor panels 32 of floor 14 as shown in tions which are joined together at corresponding margins 20. Those sections 16 joined together at margins 18 willbe spaced apart as shown in FIG. 11.

Floor 14 is comprised of a plurality of substantially triangular, generally identical floor panels 32, each panel having a pair of

margins

34 and 36 which converge as the central extremity of floor 14 is approached and a third margin 38 which is at the outer periphery of floor 14. Margin 34 of one panel 32 is hingedly connected by a hinge 35 to a corresponding margin 34 of the adjacent panel 32 (FIG. 15). Similarly, margin 36 of each panel 32 is hingedly connected to margin 36 of the next adjacent panel 32 as shown in FIG. 4. The

hinge connection of margins 36 may beof the type shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, wherein a spar 40 separating a pair of panels 32 has a pair of hinges 42 connected to margins 36 of respective panels 32. This construction causes panels 32 to be spaced apart for the same reason as that with respect to the hinge of FIGS. and 11. The single hinge connection at margins 34 (FIG. allows the corresponding panels 32 to have a common hinge line so that such panels will be in face-to-face relationship when floor 14 is collapsed. Panels 32 having the common spar 40 connected thereto will be spaced apart but substantially parallel with each other when the floor is collapsed to permit the nesting therebetween of a pair of sections 16 whose margins 20 are joined together. Thus, sections 16 and panels 32 can be nested together so that building 10 can be collapsed into a flattened configuration as shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 7 illustrates how sections 16 and panels 32 are substantially parallel with each other when the building is in its collapsed condition, whereby the building occupies a minimum of space to facilitate storage and transit.

To illustrate the way in which building 10 is used, it will be assumed that the building is initially in its collapsed condition (FIG. 6) wherein sections 16 and panels 32 are substantially parallel with each other (FIG. 7) with certain of the panels 32 being nested between respective sections 16 and certain of sections 16 being nested between respective panels 32.

Building 10, in its collapsed condition, is then moved in some suitable manner to a building site on whose surface 46 the building is to be erected. The building is placed on surface 46 and expanded by causing floor .14

to move outwardly to, in turn, move leg portions 24 of roof sections 16 outwardly and away from each other.

FIG. 8 illustrates an early .phase of the expansion process wherein the tips or extremities 48 defined by the lower ends of portions 24 are moved outwardly and away from each other from their mutually aligned posican be provided by the specific configuration of each spar 26 wherein, as shown in FIG. 10, the beveled side edges of each spar limit pivoting movement of sections 16 to a predetermined are so that such sections will stop in the expanded positions of FIG. 10. The bevel of spar 26 will be determined by the size of floor 14 since a given root can possibly cover floors of different sizes. In the alternative, assuming that each spar 26 has generally parallel side edges, a ring or other connecting structure could be secured to sections 16 at their upper extremities to hold them in the required fixed positions. A further way of accomplishing this would be to provide wedges between each spar 26 and an adjacent roof section 16, such wedges extending along the corresponding hinge line and being held in place by any suitable" fastener. The last-mentioned way of holding the roof sections in place would be used if the side faces of spar 26 are parallel instead of beveled.

FIG. 3 shows how a number of building units 10 can be arranged to form a building complex whose interior volume is the sum of the individual interior volumes of the various buildings 10. In this arrangement, the buildings are in alignment with each other and stacked in honeycomb fashion to permit expansion in different directions. To this end, each pair of adjacent buildings 10 are connected together in some suitable manner at the openings 52 thereof defined by edges 22 (FIG. 2a), which openings can be made essentially vertical by the specific selection of the dimensions of sections 16.

FIGS. 16 and 16a show the use of sidewall means across'at least one of the side openings 52 formed by margins 22 of roof 12. To this end, a pair of sidewall panels 54 are disposed in closing relationship to an opening 52, panels 54 being hingedly connected to a central spar 56 aligned with a corresponding spar 26 on roof 12. The outer, inclined margins of panels 54 are coupled by hinges 58 to the adjacent sections .16 whereby the sidewall panels 54 are hingedly connected to roof 12 in a manner to permit collapse of the sidewall means with the roof and the floor into a flattened configuration shown in FIG. 17. When collapsed, the sidewall panels extend outwardly from roof l2 and receive therebetween the portions of the adjacent floor- 1 panels 32whichproject outwardly from roof 12. This tions shown in FIG. 6. As tips 48 moves apart, floor l4 movesin a manner 'such that floor panels 32 tend to asof sidewall panels 54 can be provided with door or winsume horizontal positions. Since portions 24 are connected by hinges 31 to floor unit 14, sections 16 also move outwardly and away from each other under the influence of-the movement of tips 48. FIG. 9 illustrates a later phase ofthe expansion process, wherein roof 12 is almost completelyexpanded and floor 14 has its floor panels 32 almost horizontal; Generally, floor panels 32 will be substantially coplanar with each other-when floor 14 is completely expanded. The building has the configuration shown in FIGS. 2 and 2a when it is completely expanded.

To maintain the expanded condition of building-l0, it is provided with means for holding the roof sections 16 in expanded, generally fixed positions. Such means featureis shown in FIG. 17, wherein one of the sidewall panels 54 is broken away to reveal the floor panels 32 adjacent thereto.

Each of the openings 52 can be covered by a pair of sidewall panels 54in the manner described. Also, a pair dow openings and one or more of the openings 52 can be left uncovered to permit building'l0 to be used to form a building complex of the type shown in FIG. 3.

The use of sidewall panels 54 assures that the roof 12 can expand only to a maximum amount. The hinged connection of panels 54 with sections 16 limits the outward travel of sections vl6 during the expansion of the building. Additional means can be provided to hold sections 16 fixed relative to each other after they have been expanded so that'sections 16 will not pivot relative to each other such as when they are subjected to wind or other forces. 4

FIGS. 18 and 18a show another way of hingedly connecting a pair of adjacent roof sections or a pair of adjacent floor panels when it is desired to maintain a space between the sections or panels for nesting purposes. To illustrate the structure of this hinge, a pair of adjacent roof sections 16 have respective wedgeshaped members 60 secured to their inner surfaces, a pair of plates 62 of a hinge have a hinge pin 64 and are secured to members 60 with the hinge pin disposed inwardly and centrally of sections 16. In the expanded condition (FIG. 18), sections 16 converge toward each other and are provided with beveled extremities having sealing strips 66 which are in juxtaposition with each other for sealing purposes. In the collapsed condition as shown in FIG. 18a, sections 16 are substantially parallel with each other to provide the space for receiving a pair of floor panels 32 therebetween. Other configurations of the extremities of sections 16 can be used, if desired. For instance, the configuration of FIG. 20 can be used wherein a pairof sections 16 converge toward and engage each other when roof 12 is expanded. A hinge 68 is secured to a pair of rigid members 70 connected to respective sections 16 with the hinge having its hinge plates arranged to define a channel member when the roof sections are expanded, whereby the hinge will increase the structural length of the roof joint.

FIGS. 19 and 19a show the hinge mounting of a pair of adjacent hinge sections 16 connected at margins 20 thereof by a hinge 72 whose hinge pin 74 is adjacent to margins 20. Thus, when the sections move from the expanded condition of FIG. 19 to the collapsed condition of FIG. 19a, the sections will be substantially in side-byside relationship to each other-for nesting between a pair of floor panels 32.

- The features of FIGS. 18-20 can be utilized with floor 14 as well as with roof 12. For instance, the hinge joint of FlGS.'l2 and 13 can be replaced by the construction of FIGS. 18 and 18a or by that of FIG. 20. This will eliminate spar 40 and, instead of a pair of hinges on opposite sides of a spar, a single hinge will be utilized. Similarly, the construction of FIGS. 19 and 19a can be used forthe junction between adjacent panels 32 along their margins 34.

Hinges 31, if the same are conventional, cause the roof 12 to be configured, when collapsed, with the outermost sections 16 slightly out of parallelism with the roof sections therebetween. The reason for this is that conventional hinges are of a finite width such that the hinges take up space which causes the center parts of the outer sections 16 to bulge outwardly and, therefore, be slightly out of parallelism with the roof section 16 next adjacent thereto. This tendency to bulge outwardly ordinarily places a stress on the outermost hinge pins connected to spar 26 so that these hinge pins should be removed as a step in effecting the collapse of sheared off.

To avoid this problem, a hinge, denoted by the numeral 76 and shown in FIGS. 21 and 22 is provided at each junction of roof l2 and floor 14, specifically at the lower ends of margins'20 of sections 16. Hinge 76 includes a rigid strip 78 which preferably extends to the top of building and has a pair of longitudinal side edges connected by'hinges 79 to the rearmost edges of building 10 so as to prevent the hinge pins from being the corresponding sections 16. The outermost margins of such sections are free and normally spaced apart when building 10 is in the expanded condition with section 16 disposed as shown in FIG. 21. The width of strip 78 is twice the thickness of each section 16 so that the sections can be in juxtaposition or coplanar when the building is collapsed.

The bottom end of strip 78 is connected by a hinge pin 82 to a spar 40 of floor 14. The width of strip'78 is substantially the same as that of spar 40 so that strip 78 can be nested between the two adjacent floor panels 32 when building 10 is collapsed and when the adjacent sections 16 are in juxtaposition with each other.

With the use of hinge 76, building 10 can be collapsed and thereby disposed with the roof sections and floor panels substantially parallel with each other at all times. The hinge pins 82 do not need to be removed in order to achieve such parallelism. Thus, hinge 76 avoids the problems of conventional hinges and prevents the building up of any stress on the various hinge pins 82.

' Building 10 can be placed on any suitable surface but oftentimes it is preferable to position the same slightly above ground and to this end, a collapsible frame 84 is provided. Frame 84 defines a subfloor for floor 14 which can be itself collapsed so that it is suitable for transfer to and from a building site. Frame 84, therefore, adds to the portability of building 10 and renders it more versatile inthat the building can be set up at a variety of building sites without requiring any substantial improvements of the land or site on which the building is to be disposed.

Frame 84 preferably has the same configuration as floor 14. Other configurations can be used, if desired.

The preferred embodiment'of frame 84 includes a number, of radial beams 86 of substantially the same length, each pair of adjacent beams 86 having a central beam 88 therebetween and of a slightly shorter length. A pair of inner braces 90 and a pair of outer braces span the distance between beam 88 and respective beams 86.

Each beam 88 has a pair of blocks 94 which carry hinges 96 attached to the corresponding beams 86 (FIG. 24), whereby beams 86 can swing from the angular positions thereof as shown in- FIG. 23 to the parallel positions as shown in FIG. 24. Also, each brace 90 is pivoted by a hinge 98 to the adjacent beam 86 and is provided with a releasable fastener 100 for securing the innerend of each brace 90 to beam 88. Similarly, each beam 92 is pivotally coupled by a hinge 102 to the corresponding beam 86 and is releasably secured by a fastener 104 to beam 88. When braces 90 and 92 are unfastened from beam 88, they are swung to positions parallel to respective beams 86, whereupon beams 86 can then be swung to the parallel positions of FIG. 24.

Each beam 86 has a block 94 on each side thereof and a beam 88 is connected to each block 94, respectively. When frame 84 is expanded, it has the configuration. of FIG. 23 and when it is collapsed, it has the configuration of FIG. 24 with all of the beams and the braces substantially parallel with each other. I

In use, frame 84 is initially in its collapsed conditio and-carried in this manner to a building site, at which site the frame is placed on the ground and the various beams 86 are swung apart and into the radiating positions of FIG. 23.

Braces

90 and 92 are then swung out of parallelism with respective beams 86 so that they ex- 9 tend transversely of such beams and permit connection with beams 88. After the braces have been fastened to beams 88, the frame is ready for use and floor 14 of building 10 can be placed on the frame and thereby be supported above ground (FlG. 244).

To maintain frame 84 itself above ground, each beam 86 may be provided with a leg 106 (FIG. 240) at each of its inner and outer ends. Leg 106 may be of any configuration and can be of any length, as desired.

Beams

86 and 88 and braces 90 and 92 can be of any suitable material, such as wood, metal or the like. When frame 84 is collapsed, it is sufficiently compact to facilitate its being moved from place to place with a minimum of effort.

Frame 84 is especially suitable for use in leveling floor 14 when frame 84 supports building 10. To this end, legs 106 of frame 84 are made adjustable in height so that they can render the upper, effective support surface of frame 84 substantially horizontal regardless of the slope of the terrain therebelow.

Another aspect of the subfloor defined by frame 84 is that it can be hingedly connected to, floor 14 in some suitable manner toform part of building -10. Used in this manner, frame 84 could collapse with floor 14 and be carried as a unit.

lclaim:

1. A building construction comprising: a roof having a plurality of generally triangular sections, each section being hingedly connected to the sections adjacent thereto to permit the roof'to be expanded and. collapsed; means coupled with the sections for holding the when the assemblies are in respective expanded conditions, and wherein is included a sidewall panel for each opening respectively, the sidewall panels being hingedly connected to said roof assembly for covering said openings when the assemblies are in their expanded conditions, said sidewall panels being movable to positions in substantial parallelism with the roof sections and the floor panels when said assemblies are in respective collapsed conditions.

6. A building as set forth in claim 1, whereineach roof section has a normally uppermost extremity, said holding means including structure connected to theuppermost extremities of said roof sections.

7. A building as set forth in claim 1, wherein each pair of adjacent roof sections have respective, generally contiguous, longitudinal, hingedly interconnected edges, there being hinge means defining a double hinge line for the contiguous edges of certain pairs of adsame against further expansion beyond predetermined expanded positions relative to each other when the roof is expanded; and a floor hingedly coupled to said roof and having a number of generally triangular panels, each panel being hingedly connected to the panels adjacent thereto, said roof and said floor being movable together from expanded conditions with said panels disposed below said sections 'to collapsed conditions with said sections being in stacked relationship to each other and with at least certain of said panels being in nested relationship with said sections.

2. A portable building comprising: a roof. assembly having a plurality of hingedly interconnected roof sections, said assembly being movable from a collapsed condition with the roof sectionssubstantially parallel with each other to an expanded condition with the roof sections overlying a surface area to be covered; a floor assembly having a plurality of hingedly interconnected floor panels and being hingedly interconnected with said roof assembly, said floor assembly being movable with said roof assembly from a collapsed condition with the floor panels substantially parallel with said roof sections to an expanded condition with the floor panels in covering relationship to said surface area, whereby the floor assembly underlies said roof assembly.

3.. A building as set forth in claim 2, wherein each roof section is substantially triangularand has one extremity hingedly coupled to said floor assembly.

4. A building as set forth in claim 2, wherein said floor assembly is spaced from said roof assembly, and including sidewall means spanning the distance between said assemblies and hinged thereto.

5. A building as set forth in claim 2, wherein said roof and floor assemblies'define a plurality of side openings jacent roof sections, said holding means including structure adjacent to the contiguous edges of said certain pairs of adjacent roof sections respectively.

8. A portable building as set forth in claim 2, wherein certain of said roof sections are spaced apart. when the roof is in its collapsed condition, certain of said floor panels being in side-by-side relationship and disposed within the space formed by a respective pair of said certain roof sections when said floor unit is in its collapsed condition.

9. A portable building comprising: a roof having a plurality of roof sections, each roof section having a pair of edges contiguous to corresponding edges of a pair of adjacent roof sections; means hingedly interconnecting the contiguous edges of each pair of adjacent roof sections, respectively, whereby said roof can be expanded and collapsed; and a floor hingedly coupled to said roof and having a number of panels, each panel being hingedly connected to the panels adjacent thereto, said roof and said floor being movable together from expanded conditions with said panels disposed below said sections to collapsed conditions with said sections being in stacked relationship to each other and with at least certain of said panels being in nested relationship with at least certain of said sections.

10. A portable building as set forth in claim 9, wherein said hingedly interconnecting means comprises structure defining a single hinge line for each pair of adjacent roof sections.

11. A building construction comprising: a roof having a plurality of sections, each section being hingedly connected to the sections adjacent thereto to permit the roof to be expanded and collapsed; a main floor hingedly coupled to said roof and having a number of panels, each' panel being hingedly connected to the panels adjacent thereto to permit the floor to be expanded and collapsed, said roof and said floor being movable together from expanded conditions with said panels disposed below said sections to collapsed conditions with said sections being in stacked relationship to each other andwith at least certain of said panels being in nested relationship with said sections; and a collapsible subfloor positionable below said main floor for supporting the latter-and said roof when the same are in their expanded conditions.

12. A building construction comprising: a number of buildings, each building having a roof provided with a plurality of roof sections, each roof section being hingedly connected to the sections adjacent thereto to permit the roof-to be expanded and collapsed, and a floor hingedly coupled to said roof and having a number of floor panels, each panel being hingedly connected to the panels adjacent thereto, said roof and said floor of each building being movable together from expanded conditions with said panels disposed below said sections to collapsed conditions with said sections being in stacked relationship to each other and with at least cer-' tain of said panels being in nested relationship with said sections, said buildings being arranged relative to eachpanded and collapsed; and means hingedlyintercon necting the root sections with respective floor panels at locations permitting the roof and floor to be movable together from expanded conditions with said floor disposed below said roof to collapsed conditions with said roof sections and said floor panels in stacked relationship.

14.'A portable building comprising: a roof having a plurality of roof sections, each roof section having a pair of edges contiguous to corresponding edges of a pair of adjacent roof sections; means hingedly interconnecting the contiguous edges of each pair of adjacent roof sections respectively, whereby said roof can be moved from an expanded condition with the roof sections'angularly disposed relative to each other to a collapsed condition with the roof sections substantially parallel with each other; a collapsible floor; and means hingedly connecting the floor to said roof unit, said connecting means including a strip secured to the contiguouse'dges of at least one pair of adjacent roof sections, said floor having a spar terminating adjacent to the lower end of the strip, said strip having a width substantially equal to that of said spar, and a hinge pivotally securing said strip at its lower end to said spar.

15. A portable building comprising: a roof having a plurality of roof sections, each roof section having a pair of edges contiguous to corresponding edges of a pair of adjacent roof sections; means hingedly interconnecting the contiguous edges of each pair of adjacent roof sections respectively, whereby said root can be moved-from an expanded condition with the roof sec- I tions angularly disposed relative to each other to a collapsed condition with the roof sections substantially parallel with each other; and a collapsible floor, said roof being positionable on said floor for support thereby, said interconnecting means including a hinge structure coupled to a pair of roof sections for moving the same from angled, operative positions to generally parallel, collapsed positions to define a space therebetween, said hinge structure including a hinge pin centrally disposed between and spaced from the 7 corresponding roof sections.

16. A building construction comprising: a roof having a plurality of g enerally triangular sections, each section being hinge y connected 0 the sections ad acent thereto to permit the roof to be expanded and collapsed, one end of each roof section being adjacent to the outer periphery of the roof when the latter isexpanded; and means connected with the ends of at least certain of said roof sections and extending inwardly of said outer periphery when said roof is expanded for determining the expansion thereof. 17. A' building constructions-as set forth in claim 16, wherein said determining means is hingedly coupled to the ends of said certain roof sections.

18. A building construction as set forth in claim 16,

wherein said determining means includes a collapsible floor having a number of hingedly interconnected, generally triangular floor panels, there being a floor panel for each of said certain roof sections, respectively, each floor panel being hingedly connected to the end of the respective roof section, said floor beingcoh lapsible with said roof.

Claims

1. A building construction comprising: a roof having a plurality of generally triangular sections, each section being hingedly connected to the sections adjacent thereto to permit the roof to be expanded and collapsed; means coupled with the sections for holding the same against further expansion beyond predetermined expanded positions relative to each other when the roof is expanded; and a floor hingedly coupled to said roof and having a number of generally triangular panels, each panel being hingedly connected to the panels adjacent thereto, said roof and said floor being movable together from expanded conditions with said panels disposed below said sections to collapsed conditions with said sections being in stacked relationship to each other and with at least certain of said panels being in nested relationship with said sections.

2. A portable building comprising: a roof assembly having a plurality of hingedly interconnected roof sections, said assembly being movable from a collapsed condition with the roof sections substantially parallel with each other to an expanded condition with the roof sections overlying a surface area to be covered; a floor assembly having a plurality of hingedly interconnected floor panels and being hingedly interconnected with said roof assembly, said floor assembly being movable with said roof assembly from a collapsed condition with the floor panels substantially parallel with said roof sections to an expanded condition with the floor panels in covering relationship to said surface area, whereby the floor assembly underlies said roof assembly.

3. A building as set forth in claim 2, wherein each roof section is substantially triangular and has one extremity hingedly coupled to said floor assembly.

5. A building as set forth in claim 2, wherein said roof and floor assemblies define a plurality of side openings when the assemblies are in respective expanded conditionS, and wherein is included a sidewall panel for each opening respectively, the sidewall panels being hingedly connected to said roof assembly for covering said openings when the assemblies are in their expanded conditions, said sidewall panels being movable to positions in substantial parallelism with the roof sections and the floor panels when said assemblies are in respective collapsed conditions.

6. A building as set forth in claim 1, wherein each roof section has a normally uppermost extremity, said holding means including structure connected to the uppermost extremities of said roof sections.

7. A building as set forth in claim 1, wherein each pair of adjacent roof sections have respective, generally contiguous, longitudinal, hingedly interconnected edges, there being hinge means defining a double hinge line for the contiguous edges of certain pairs of adjacent roof sections, said holding means including structure adjacent to the contiguous edges of said certain pairs of adjacent roof sections respectively.

8. A portable building as set forth in claim 2, wherein certain of said roof sections are spaced apart when the roof is in its collapsed condition, certain of said floor panels being in side-by-side relationship and disposed within the space formed by a respective pair of said certain roof sections when said floor unit is in its collapsed condition.

11. A building construction comprising: a roof having a plurality of sections, each section being hingedly connected to the sections adjacent thereto to permit the roof to be expanded and collapsed; a main floor hingedly coupled to said roof and having a number of panels, each panel being hingedly connected to the panels adjacent thereto to permit the floor to be expanded and collapsed, said roof and said floor being movable together from expanded conditions with said panels disposed below said sections to collapsed conditions with said sections being in stacked relationship to each other and with at least certain of said panels being in nested relationship with said sections; and a collapsible subfloor positionable below said main floor for supporting the latter and said roof when the same are in their expanded conditions.

12. A building construction comprising: a number of buildings, each building having a roof provided with a plurality of roof sections, each roof section being hingedly connected to the sections adjacent thereto to permit the roof to be expanded and collapsed, and a floor hingedly coupled to said roof and having a number of floor panels, each panel being hingedly connected to the panels adjacent thereto, said roof and said floor of each building being movable together from expanded conditions with said panels disposed below said sections to collapsed conditions with said sections being in stacked relationship to each other and with at least certain of said panels being in nested relationship with said sections, said buildings being arranged relative to each other with at least a pair of buildings in siDe-by-side contiguous relationship, whereby the contiguous pair of building define a building complex.

13. A building comprising: a roof having a plurality of sections, each section being hingedly connected to the sections adjacent thereto to permit the roof to be expanded and collapsed; a floor having a number of panels, each panel being hingedly connected to the panels adjacent thereto to permit the floor to be expanded and collapsed; and means hingedly interconnecting the roof sections with respective floor panels at locations permitting the roof and floor to be movable together from expanded conditions with said floor disposed below said roof to collapsed conditions with said roof sections and said floor panels in stacked relationship.

14. A portable building comprising: a roof having a plurality of roof sections, each roof section having a pair of edges contiguous to corresponding edges of a pair of adjacent roof sections; means hingedly interconnecting the contiguous edges of each pair of adjacent roof sections respectively, whereby said roof can be moved from an expanded condition with the roof sections angularly disposed relative to each other to a collapsed condition with the roof sections substantially parallel with each other; a collapsible floor; and means hingedly connecting the floor to said roof unit, said connecting means including a strip secured to the contiguous edges of at least one pair of adjacent roof sections, said floor having a spar terminating adjacent to the lower end of the strip, said strip having a width substantially equal to that of said spar, and a hinge pivotally securing said strip at its lower end to said spar.

15. A portable building comprising: a roof having a plurality of roof sections, each roof section having a pair of edges contiguous to corresponding edges of a pair of adjacent roof sections; means hingedly interconnecting the contiguous edges of each pair of adjacent roof sections respectively, whereby said roof can be moved from an expanded condition with the roof sections angularly disposed relative to each other to a collapsed condition with the roof sections substantially parallel with each other; and a collapsible floor, said roof being positionable on said floor for support thereby, said interconnecting means including a hinge structure coupled to a pair of roof sections for moving the same from angled, operative positions to generally parallel, collapsed positions to define a space therebetween, said hinge structure including a hinge pin centrally disposed between and spaced from the corresponding roof sections.

16. A building construction comprising: a roof having a plurality of generally triangular sections, each section being hingedly connected to the sections adjacent thereto to permit the roof to be expanded and collapsed, one end of each roof section being adjacent to the outer periphery of the roof when the latter is expanded; and means connected with the ends of at least certain of said roof sections and extending inwardly of said outer periphery when said roof is expanded for determining the expansion thereof.

17. A building constructions as set forth in claim 16, wherein said determining means is hingedly coupled to the ends of said certain roof sections.