Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BUILDING STRUCTURE
THIS INVENTION relates to a building structure. It
relates more particularly to a building structure suitable for
rendering postal services.
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention,
broadly, there is provided a mobile building structure adapted
for use in rendering postal services.
In accordance with a second aspect of the invention,
broadly, there is provided a building structure having features
rendering it suitable for use in rendering postal services, the
building structure being mobile.
More specifically, in accordance with the invention,
there is provided a building structure having a rigid support
base supporting walls and a roof and which is- mobile, the
building structure comprising features to render it suitable for
use in rendering postal services, the features including at least
a plurality of postal boxes accessible to respective users from
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externally of the building structure, and serviceable by
personnel from inside the building structure.
The building structure may have mechanical handling
formations whereby it can mechanically be handled to facilitate
loading and offloading. The mechanical handling formations may
be arranged to direct handling effort to the support base, the
support base being suitable to allow loading it onto a load
platform of a load vehicle.
The support base may be in the form of a bed and may
be suitable to be rested on foundations or slabs forming a
support surface.
The postal boxes may be built into at least one wall
of the building structure in the form of an array of postal
boxes.
The building structure may define an interior and may
include a lockable door in a wall of the building structure
giving access to the interior. The building structure may have
lighting means for lighting up the interior. The lighting means
may be solar powered. Thus, the building structure may have one
or more solar collectors mounted on the roof.
The building structure may be built of metal to render
it secure and vandal proof to a large degree. The building
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structure may be in form of a steel frame covered by sheeting.
The sheeting may advantageously be in the form of steel sheeting.
The building structure may have ventilating openings
covered by grills underneath a roof covering or overhang. They
may be provided underneath an overhang at a pitch of the roof.
The building structure may include a walkway arranged
in association with the postal boxes to serve users of the postal
boxes. It may be positioned along a foot of the or each wall
mounting the array(s) of postal boxes. The walkway may be
foldable against postal boxes to cover the or some of the postal
boxes, when not in use. The walkway may be hinged to the support
base and may be pivotal between its operative and inoperative
conditions.
In the same fashion, the building structure may include
a roof overhang or roof extension arranged above the postal boxes
to cover an area in front of the postal boxes. The roof overhang
or roof extension may be movable between an operative or erect
condition and an inoperative or folded condition against the
postal boxes. The walkway and roof extension, when in their
inoperative conditions, may substantially cover the array of
postal boxes and may be lockable in those condi-tions. This
feature facilitates transport and can also be adapted for use as
a security barrier.
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By way of advantageous development, the building
structure may be of a shape and size to render it transportable
as a container. This has the advantage that existing transport
vehicles for containers may be used to transport the building
structure. The container transport infrastructure can be used
to transport such building structures.
The invention is now described by way of example with
reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings. In the
drawings
Figure 1 shows, in three dimensional view from above, a
building structure in accordance with the invention;
Figure 2 shows the building structure of Figure 1 in side
view;
Figure 3 shows the building structure of Figure 1 in cross
section although, for ease of drawing, no hatching is indicated;
and
Figure 4 shows, in a view corresponding to that of Figure
3, another embodiment of a building structure.
With reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings,
a building structure in accordance with the invention is
generally indicated by reference numeral 10. The building
structure 10 is adapted to render postal services to users, more
specifically to offer a postal box facility to users. The
building structure 10 is mobile or transportable. It is adapted
to be loaded on, transported by and offloaded from, a load
platform of a load vehicle. Furthermore, it is adapted to be
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supported on foundations or slabs provided for that purpose.
Thus, conveniently, the building structure may have handling
formations to allow handling, e.g. slinging, during loading, and
offloading. More specifically, it is adapted to be handled by
means of a crane.
More specifically, the building structure 10 has side
walls generally indicated by reference numerals 12 and 14, end
walls generally indicated by reference numerals 16 and 18 and a
roof generally indicated by reference numeral 20. The building
structure 10 is formed on a support base 11 which is rigid and
which is adapted to support the building structure when the
support base itself is supported at least at predetermined points
in a common plane.
The building structure 10 defines an enclosed interior
generally indicated by reference numeral 22 in Figure 3 and to
which access is obtainable via a door 24 in the end wall 16. The
door 24 is lockable.
In each of the side walls 12, 14, a plurality of postal
boxes are mounted in the form of arrays generally indicated by
reference numerals 26. The postal boxes are positioned such that
users can gain access to the respective postal boxes from
positions external of the building structure 10 in conventional
fashion. Lockable doors are provided on the postal boxes at
their outsides. Internally the postal boxes are accessible via
open rears of the postal boxes from the interior 22. Post will
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in use be sorted and placed into the respective postal boxes by
personnel operating from the interior 22 of the building
structure 10.
In each side wall 12 and 14, conveniently in a
longitudinally central position and at an appropriate height,
there is provided a mailing or postal slot 28 via which articles
to be mailed by the postal authorities can be deposited.
It is to be noted that, apart from the door 24, the
building structure has no closures. Thus, to ventilate the
interior 22, ventilation means is provided in the roof 20. In
this embodiment, the roof 20 is provided with ventilator means
in the form of a ventilator generally indicated by reference
numeral 30 along the pitch of the roof 20. Ventilation openings
are covered by grills e.g. grills in the form of expanded or
stretched metal.
To render the building structure 10 more user friendly,
and also for security reasons as will be described hereinafter,
along each side wall 12, 14, there is provided a walkway 32.
Each walkway 32 extends transversely from a foot of its side wall
12, 14. The walkways are positioned such that users of the
postal boxes would walk along the walkways. The walkways slope
outwardly at a small angle, say about 5, to promote run off of
water.
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Similarly, to render the building structure more user
friendly and also for security reasons which will become apparent
hereinafter, the roof 20 comprises a roof extension 34 alongside
each side wall 12, 14 to overhang the area which will be occupied
by users of the postal boxes. The roof extensions 34 are
arranged to shield the users from the elements such as sun, rain,
hail, and the like. They slope outwardly, pitch roof fashion,
to promote run off of water, e.g. rainwater, and the like.
Each walkway 32 and each extension 34 is hinged
respectively to the foot of the side wall and an edge of the main
roof portion 20. Thus, each walkway 32 can be pivoted upwardly
to extend partially along its side wall. Similarly, each
extension 34 can be pivoted downwardly to extend partially
alongside its side wall 12, 14. The arrangements are such that
free edges of the respective walkways 32 and extensions 34, at
each side of the building structure, will extend alongside each
other substantially to cover the whole of the respective side
walls 12, 14 and thus to cover the respective arrays of postal
boxes. The walkways and extensions can advantageously be locked
20 in their closed conditions. Thus, when in their locked
conditions, the extensions 34 and walkways 32 fulfil a security
function. Furthermore, the provision of extensions and walkways
in the interest of user-friendliness to not substantially enlarge
the building structure for transport purposes as the building
structure will be transported with the walkways and extensions
in the closed conditions.
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As security is regarded as of great importance,
especially bearing in mind that the building structures in
accordance with the invention may be used to render postal
services in remote areas, or even areas plagued by unrest, the
building structure is designed and built to be vandalproof and
secure to a large degree. Thus, it is contemplated that the
building structure will be mainly of steel e.g. mild steel. It
may be in the form of a framework supported on the support base
which framework is covered by means of sheeting such as steel
sheeting. It is envisaged that such steel sheeting may be of the
order of 3 mm thick. The support base may include a plurality
of longitudinally extending beams such as I-beams, which are
transversely linked, to render the support base rigid and able
to support the rest of the building structure. It is envisaged,
that, at predetermined positions in selected localities,
foundation surfaces, slabs, or the like will be provided. The
building structure will in use be offloaded onto such surfaces.
Further to render the building structure suitable for
use in remote areas where electricity may not be available, or
where supply of electricity may easily be interrupted, it is
envisaged that the interior 22 will be lit by means of solar
powered lighting. Thus, provision may conveniently be made to
- deploy one or more solar collectors on the roof to provide
electricity to the interior.
Further, by way of development, and with reference to
Figure 4, an internal counter 38 at a service opening 36 via
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which other kinds of postal services can be rendered to users,
is provided. The users will still be outside of the building and
postal personnel will render the services from inside the
building. The service opening 36 and counter 38 are provided at
the expense of some of the postal boxes 26. The section, for
clarity of drawing, has been taken so that the remaining postal
boxes 26 are not shown. The counter 38 can be pivoted as shown
at 40 to close the service opening and can be locked in such
closed condition. A pair of legs 42 is provided and can be
locked in position to support the counter 38 by means of an over-
centre-type stay 44.
Further, by way of development, a set of shelves 46 is
provided behind an attendant at the counter 38. The shelves are
provided against the wall 112, also at the expense of some of the
postal boxes 26.
In one embodiment, the length of the building structure
may be of the order 6 m and the width, in its condition for
transport, may be of the order of 2,5 m. It is believed that
such a building structure can be handled as a standard container
to be able to use existing transport and mechanical handling
facilities available for use with standard containers.
It is generally an advantage that a secure, durable,
and mobile or transportable building structure, which is free-
standing, is provided adapted to render postal services,
especially postal box services, to users. It is important that
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the building structure, even while remaining in situ, can be
rendered secure when required by closing the roof extensions and
walkways and locking them in position.
