IMPROVED COMPONENT OF A MODULAR BUILDING

COMPOSANTE AMELIOREE D'UN BATIMENT MODULAIRE

English Abstract

A building module including a ground floor and a first floor, the building module constructed from prefabricated metal components. Located beneath the first floor are at least a pair of channels adapted to be engaged by rotatable tines of a forklift that can engage the module. Once engaged the forklift can rotate the module so as to load the module onto a flatbed truck for transportation to the building location. This allows a lot of the manufacture of the building to be completed off-site leading to quicker construction of the building on site.

French Abstract

L'invention concerne un module de bâtiment comprenant un rez-de-chaussée et un premier étage, le module de bâtiment étant construit à partir de composants métalliques préfabriqués. Au-dessous du premier étage sont situés au moins une paire de canaux conçus pour être mis en prise par des dents rotatives d'un lève-palette qui peut venir en prise avec le module. Une fois mis en prise, le lève-palette peut faire tourner le module de façon à charger le module sur un camion à plate-forme pour le transport vers l'emplacement du bâtiment. Cela permet de réaliser une grande partie de la fabrication du bâtiment hors du site, ce qui permet de construire plus rapidement le bâtiment sur le site.

Claims

CLAIMS
1. A building module including a ground floor and a first floor, the building
module
constructed from prefabricated metal components wherein located beneath the
first
floor are at least a pair of channels adapted to be engaged by rotatable tines
of a
forklift that can engage the module and rotate it for placement on its side to
be able
to be loaded onto a flatbed truck for transportation to the desired location.
2. The building module of claim 1 being of a width substantially smaller than
its height.
3. The building module as in claiml including vertical posts that support
horizontal
channels that themselves support joists for providing support for the ground
and
first floors.
4. The building module as in claim 1 wherein multiple building modules can be
joined
together to form a building.
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Description

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Improved Component of a Modular Building
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to an assembly and transport of
building modules
that when joined together result in a modular building, typically a house.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
[0002] Conventional houses are built in a well-known manner. A slab floor
is
constructed; vertical supports are added to support walls and a roof after
which the house
is completed by the provision of various utilities. The construction of such a
house takes
months to complete given that the building of the house is on site.
[0003] At times construction is halted as some works have to be completed
before
others can start and inclement weather can also cause a delay in building.
[0004] The object of this invention is to provide a building such as a
house constructed
using a number of individual building modules. These modules can be made off
site to
provide a ground and a first floor that can then be easily transported to the
construction
site where they can be coupled together relatively quickly to build a building
in a fraction of
time than current building methods.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In a first aspect the invention comprises a building module
including a ground
floor and a first floor, the building module constructed from prefabricated
metal
components wherein located beneath the first floor are at least a pair of
channels adapted
to be engaged by rotatable tines of a forklift that can engage the module and
rotate it for
placement on its side to be able to be loaded onto a flatbed truck for
transportation to the
desired location.
[0006] In preference the module is not wider than allowed by regulations
dictating the
transportation of goods on a flatbed truck across standard roads.
[0007] Preferably, the module includes vertical posts that support
horizontal channels
that themselves support joists for providing support thereof.
[0008] Preferably, each module is adapted to be attached to another module
to
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thereby define a building such a house.
[0009] It should be noted that any one of the aspects mentioned above may
include
any of the features of any of the other aspects mentioned above and may
include any of
the features of any of the embodiments described below as appropriate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may
be
discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient
information for
those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is
not to be
regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in
any way. The
Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows.
[0011] Figure 1 is a perspective representation of a modular house
comprising of
multiple modules.
[0012] Figure 2 is a perfective view of a single module comprising a ground
floor and a
first floor.
[0013] Figure 3 is the underside view of the module of Figure 2.
[0014] Figure 4 illustrates the ability to move the module using a
forklift.
[0015] Figure 5 is loading the modular block onto a flatbed truck by
rotating it onto its
side.
[0016] Figure 6 illustrates the underneath view of a modular house
constructed using
individual modules.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0017] The following detailed description of the invention refers to the
accompanying
drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used
throughout the
drawings and the following description to refer to the same and like parts.
Dimensions of
certain parts shown in the drawings may have been modified and/or exaggerated
for the
purposes of clarity or illustration.
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[0018] Referring now to the drawings in detail there is shown a modular
house 10
comprised of individual modules (building blocks) 12, 14, 16, as well as
external
components such as a balcony 18 and stairs 20. Each building block includes
vertical posts
22, that using well known engineering means support joists 24 for a ground
floor and first
floor as well as various supporting beams 26, and reinforcing members 28.
Located
underneath the first floor are channels 30 which are adapted to accommodate
forklift tines
32. Thus when a modular block as illustrated in Figure 2 is assembled
together, a forklift 34
can engage the channels 30 to lift up the modular building block such as 12.
[0019] The forklift has a rotatable head which allows the building module
to be
rotated, so that as illustrated in Figure 5 it can then be positioned on the
flatbed truck 36.
[0020] This has the advantage that a single module comprising of a ground
and first
floor can be loaded onto a truck by rotating it to lie on its side on the
truck. By virtue of the
channels being located under the first floor the module is somewhat balanced
when being
loaded onto a truck on its side. It can then be transported to the desired
location.
[0021] Once the blocks are transported to a site they can then be easily
assembled into
a modular building or house such as illustrated in Figure 1 where it can then
be cladded, a
roof added on and utilities connected to the modular building resulting in a
construction
time that is a lot faster than current building methods.
[0022] The important thing to note is that the channels 30 are located
roughly where
the centre of mass is located for the modular building block so that it can be
easily rotated
and still be balanced. Thus, in some cases if it is not a house that is being
constructed but
rather a smaller storage space, they may possess several floors, provided that
the channels
are located in a position whereby it is close to the centre of mass, this
invention may also
be used to enable the block to the loaded onto a semi-trailer truck on its
side, thus
overcoming issues of height. Now depending on the height of each building
block, it may be
possible to load several building modules on a flatbed semi-trailer for
transport to the
desired location.
[0023] The other parts of the modular building would be well known in the
art such as
appropriate metal fabrication that allows the building to become sturdy. The
vertical posts
22 may be positioned to sit on the ground if there are appropriate foot plates
(not shown)
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or there may be of sufficient length to be embedded in concrete foundations.
[0024] The reader will now appreciate the present invention which provides
for easy
transport of a modular building block to be used in the construction of a
building.
LIST OF COMPONENTS
[0025] The drawings include the following integers.
Modular house
12 First module
14 Second module
16 Third module
18 Balcony
Stairs
22 Vertical posts
24 Support joist
26 Supporting beams
28 Reinforcing members
Floor channels
[0026] Further advantages and improvements may very well be made to the
present
invention without deviating from its scope. Although the invention has been
shown and
described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred
embodiment, it is
recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the
invention,
which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be
accorded the full scope
of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.
Any discussion
of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered
as an
admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of the common
general
knowledge in this field.
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[0027] In the present specification and claims (if any), the word
"comprising" and its
derivatives including "comprises" and "comprise" include each of the stated
integers but
does not exclude the inclusion of one or more further integers.

Representative Drawing