Folding animal house

Claim 2

A house structure characterized by its ability to be folded into a substantially flat configuration comprising, in combination, a roof portion including first and second portions directly and integrally hinged together along a first hinge line, first and second sidewall portions, said wall portions each being hinged to a roof portion at second hinge lines and each being hinged to a common floor portion at third hinge lines, the sum of the distances defined on said roof portions from said second hinge lines to said first hinge line being equal to the sum of the distances defined on said sidewall portions from said second hinge lines to said third hinge lines plus the distance between said third hinge lines as defined on said floor portion, a pair of spaced end wall portions each hinged to said floor portion at fourth hinge lines adapted to be interposed between said roof, sidewall and floor portions for maintaining said floor and roof portions in spaced relationship to define a usable house structure, an inwardly folded flap portion defined on said roof portions at right angles to said first hinge line forming an edge; said end wall portions having a hinge adjacent ends opposite said fourth hinge line forming a flap upon said end wall portions maintaining said floor and roof portions in spaced relationship, said end wall portions hinge firmly abutting said edge of said folded flap portion, said flap being inwardly disposed adjacent the associated roof portion, and an ingress and egress opening defined in one of said end wall portions.

Claim 3

A house structure as in claim 1 wherein abutment means are defined on the interior of said roof portions abuttingly engaging said end wAll portions.

Claim 4

A house structure as in claim 2 wherein a hinged locking flap is defined on said end wall portions, said abutment means on said roof portions including spaced abutment elements lockably receiving said flaps therebetween.

Claim 5

A house structure as in claim 1 wherein said first and second roof portions are formed of a single sheet of flat weather-resistant material and said first hinge line is integrally defined in said material.

Claim 6

A house structure characterized by its ability to be folded into a substantially flat configuration comprising, in combination, a roof defined by a single sheet of material having a centrally located roof hinge line defined therein defining a pair of flat roof portions together at said roof hinge line, a bottom and sidewall sheet of flat material having lateral ends, a central floor portion, and a sidewall portion hinged to said floor portion on each side thereof along parallel hinge lines, said lateral ends comprising the ends of said sidewall portions, means hinging said bottom and sidewall sheet lateral ends to said roof portions whereby a lateral end is associated with a single roof portion, the hinge line of said means being parallel to said roof hinge line and parallel to the hinge lines connecting said floor and sidewall portions, said lateral ends being hinged to said roof portions at locations such that upon said roof portions being disposed in a common plane said floor and sidewall portions are coplanar to each other and disposed in a plane substantially parallel to and adjacent the plane of said roof portion, a pair of spaced end wall portions each hinged to said floor portion at a hinge line adapted to be interposed between said roof, sidewall and floor portions for maintaining said floor and roof portions in spaced relationship to define a useable house structure, an inwardly folded flap portion defined on said roof portions at right angles to said roof hinge line forming an edge; said end wall portions having a hinge adjacent ends opposite said end wall portion hinge line forming a flap upon said end wall portions maintaining said floor and roof portions in spaced relationship, said end wall portions hinge firmly abutting said edge of said folded flap portion, said flap being inwardly disposed adjacent the associated roof portion.

Claim 7

A house structure characterized by its ability to be folded into a substantially flat configuration comprising, in combination, a roof defined by a single sheet of material having a centrally located roof hinge line defined therein defining a pair of flat roof portions together at said roof hinge line, a bottom and sidewall sheet of flat material having lateral ends, a central floor portion, and a sidewall portion hinged to said floor portion on each side thereof along parallel hinge lines, said lateral ends comprising the ends of said sidewall portions, means hinging said bottom and sidewall sheet lateral ends to said roof portions whereby a lateral end is associated with a single roof portion, the hinge line of said means being parallel to said roof hinge line and parallel to the hinge lines connecting said floor and sidewall portions, said lateral ends being hinged to said roof portions at locations such that upon said roof portions being disposed in a common plane said floor and sidewall portions are coplanar to each other and disposed in a plane substantially parallel to and adjacent the plane of said roof portion, a pair of spaced end wall portions each hinged to said floor portion at a hinge line adapted to be interposed between said roof, sidewall and floor portions for maintaining said floor and roof portions in spaced relationship to define a useable house structure, an inwardly folded flap portion defined on said roof portions at right angles to said roof hinge line forming an edge; said end wall portions having a hinge adjacent ends opposite said end wall portion hinge line forming a flap upon said end wall portions maintaining said floor and roof portions in spaced relationship, said end wall portions hinge firmly abutting said edge of said folded flap portion, said flap being inwardly disposed adjacent the associated roof portion.

Claim 8

A house structure as in claim 7 wherein said roof portion further includes a rib spaced from from said folded roof flap portion edge a distance equal to the width of the end wall portion flap to abuttingly receive said end wall portion flap, whereby one said end wall portion is locked in position relative to the roof, said one end wall portion being provided with a suitably sized ingress and egress opening.