Abstract:
A protective shelter is disclosed. The shelter may be sized to protect an existing, unhardened structure, and its contents. Or, the shelter may be sized to protect an individual or other objects of similar size. In either case, the shelter provides protection from blasts from explosive shells, rockets, and the like. The shelter has a support frame that supports a blast cover that is positioned above the object or objects to be protected. A burster screen is positioned above the blast cover and may be supported by the support frame. The burster screen serves to detonate incoming ordinance before the ordinance reaches the protected object or objects. The blast cover is strong enough to withstand the resulting shock from the detonated ordinance, and thus prevents damage to the protected object or objects located below the protective shelter. This invention may be used to retrofit existing, unhardened structures in areas where additional protection is needed. It also may be used as part of the design of new facilities, and offers the option to later remove the hardened, protective part of the structure if the threat level changes for the better. In the smaller, personnel-protection embodiment, the invention may be air dropped to remote locations and assembled by personnel in the field.
Abstract:
A hole is drilled at a depth of about 5 to 6 m from the ground surface, a shelter outer shell floor slab 3 is provided, and a shelter inner shell 1 is provided thereon. Next, a load-bearing partition wall 6 is provided in the shelter inner shell 1, and thereafter a shelter outer shell 2 is provided and integrated. If required, a neutron beam-shielding shell 4 is provided at the outer surface-side of the wall section and the ceiling section of the shelter outer shell 2 or the shelter inner shell 1-side to subsequently backfill the beam-shielding shell 4.
Abstract:
An improved shelter of the type having a front wall, a back wall, two opposing side walls, a bottom and a top defining a substantially rectangular box with an opening defined in the top, a flat lid adapted to cover the opening, a roller means for alternately rolling the lid to expose or close the open top, the improvement comprising: substantially, the entire top of the box defining an opening; the lid adapted to be substantially flush with the surrounding ground level in a closed position; and a roller means for allowing the lid to slide above the ground level, exposing more than half of the top when in an open position. The shelter alternatively including stairs rotatably affixed to the front wall and a stair support means releaseably supporting the stair in position to be used as a stepping entrance into the shelter, whereby the stair can be rotated against the front wall when not in use or rotated and fixed in place by the stair support means to serve as a stepping surface.
Abstract:
A concealed storage system and method for storage of valuable objects and other equipment in a subsurface location beneath the floor of a structure and also for emergency shelter in the event of a disaster such as a storm or tornado. The system includes an encased chamber below the floor of a structure with an opening in the floor, a support frame fixed in the chamber, a liftable frame within the support frame with a top and bottom deck and a mechanism for raising and lowering the liftable frame. The liftable frame may also include a safe and a storage compartment as well as space on the lower deck for storage of other equipment. The top deck may also include an escape hatch to allow egress from the system when the liftable frame is in its lowered position.
Abstract:
A building that may be assembled from only interconnecting corrugated sheets without the need for expensive brackets or specialized assembly tools and which is quick and easy to construct using the novel construction method as taught herein. The building further provides unique roof construction that is extremely strong and eliminates the need for typical roof trusses. Also the building can be custom designed and used for any purpose of consumer choice, and may be sold as a kit with complete assembly instructions.
Abstract:
A disaster shelter for mounting under ground. The shelter includes an entranceway having at least one air vent and a substantially hollow paraboloid shaped shelter cell. The shelter cell includes a paraboloid focus portion attached to the entranceway and paraboloid base portion disposed opposite the entranceway. A gravity ring is attached to the paraboloid base portion and is dimensioned such that the shelter is constrained within the ground when the water table reaches ground level.
Abstract:
A method of fabrication of an emergency shelter to be used under the floor of a residential or commercial structure. In the preferred embodiment, a prefabricated acrylic shelter is sized to accommodate at least one individual in a crouching or sitting position. The shelter is placed prior to the pouring of a slab foundation or the building of the floor in a pier and beam foundation. The shelter is preferably fabricated by vacuum forming a top sheet and a bottom sheet of ⅛ inch acrylic sheet on molds to form top and bottom sections which are then sprayed with an epoxy-fiberglass composition for reinforcement.
Abstract:
A storm shelter is provided having a modular rectangular shelter housing. An egress port extends slightly above the shelter housing, such that the housing can be buried underground with the egress port extending slightly above ground. A reinforced, sliding access door is mounted at the egress port, and a stairway is provided to allow descent into the shelter housing. A plurality of seat boxes is provided which can be utilized to contain tools, supplies, or the like, with a seat lid pivotally mounted in a hinged manner to each seat box. Each step is provided with a non-skid surface, and is sufficiently large enough to provide a seating surface. The top stair has an accessible cut-out panel for allowing an emergency jack to pass through. An emergency jack can be utilized to forcibly remove the door, should the door become stuck or blocked from the outside.
Abstract:
A precast, concrete building unit which is especially adaptable as a target house formed from concrete pour comprising a horizontal floor adaptable for placement on a subgrade, and vertical walls extending upright from the perimeter of the floor and precast integrally therewith. One or more inserts is imbedded in the concrete pour in the marginal walls of at least two of the opposed, vertical walls, and is adaptable for accepting a removable fastening element for releasable engagement with the embedded insert to facilitate lifting and handling. At least one recess is formed in the marginal walls of at least two opposed vertical walls. A roof is precast as a separate unit from concrete pour, and is provided with a downwardly depending fastening element for registry with the recesses as the roof is positioned over the walls so as to join or attach the roof with the walls to form an integral building unit. The roof is provided with transverse holes for registry with each of the inserts, and to accommodate the removable fastening element extendable through the hole and into engagement with the insert. An opening is provided in one of the walls to allow for access to the interior of the building unit.
Abstract:
A generally spherical tornado shelter for safely housing and protecting people and things underground in the form of a truncated globe that is formed from a curved sidewall and terminates in a floor at the lower end thereof. A seat member is attached to the sidewall and to the floor and thereby forms a structural member that regidifies the globe. A generally rectangular entrance is formed in spaced relation to the central axis and provides a doorway into the interior of the structure. A plurality of steps lead from the entrance down to the floor and enables people to conveniently walk through the entrance, down the steps, into and back up from the shelter.