Weatherproof enclosure

Claim 1

An enclosure for providing a weatherproof structure in which air conditioning, heating or the like units can be installed, said enclosure comprising a peripheral base frame of rectangular configuration having an upper surface formed of an inwardly extending horizontal support flange extending inwardly from the external periphery of said base frame and a vertically extending positioning flange extending upwardly from said horizontal support flange, corner post members attached to and extending upwardly from the corners of said base frame, each of said corner post members including first and second perpendicular external panels joined at an apex and an outwardly facing linear groove extending along each vertical edge opposite from said apex with each of said outwardly facing grooves being formed of an inwardly positioned base plate and outwardly extending ribs extending outwardly from each edge of said base plate, side panel members each including a main panel, and channel lugs extending along each vertical edge of said main panel members of a side wall connected alOng one vertical edge of said main panel member and on an inner edge to a floor plate oriented perpendicular to said side walls, said channel lugs being matingly received in said outwardly facing grooves, said side panel members being positioned intermediate said corner members for providing a resultant enclosure wall, the lower ends of said corner posts being defined by a horizontal abutment flange engagingly extending inwardly from said external panels along the upper surface of said horizontal support flange and a vertical abutment flange extending along an inner edge of said horizontal abutment flange and engaging said positioning flange, the lower ends of said side panel members being defined by a main panel horizontal abutment flange engagingly extending inwardly from said main panel along the upper surface of said horizontal support flange and a vertical abutment flange extending along an inner edge of said main panel horizontal abutment flange and engaging said positioning flange, a cover having a peripheral rim extending about an upper edge of said corner posts and said side panel members, fastening means accessible solely from the interior of said enclosure for fastening the lower ends of said corner posts to said horizontal support flange and for fastening the upper ends of said corner posts to said peripheral rim and wherein said cover comprises a main top panel and said peripheral rim is defined by a peripheral downwardly extending rim flange extending downwardly from the outer edge of said main top panel, an inwardly extending lower panel extending inwardly from the lower edge of said peripheral downwardly extending rim and an upwardly extending fastening flange extending upwardly from the innermost edge of said inwardly extending lower panel and positioned in abutting relationship with respect to said main panel members and said first and second perpendicular external panels of said corner post.