Self-packaging portable housing structure

Claim 2

A portable housing structure comprising a box beam roof component having a roof panel and downwardly depending edge members formed integrally with the roof panel about the periphery thereof, a plurality of wall panels, a floor component including a floor panel carried on a frame structure, tie-down means for securing said roof component to said floor component with said wall panels held in a vertical position between said edge members of said roof component and said floor component when said housing structure is in an erected condition and for securing said roof component directly on said floor component with said wall panels contained under said roof component when said housing structure is in a shipping condition, said wall panels having inside and outside surfaces and end edge surfaces, the end edge surfaces of adjacent wall panels having a space therebetween at vertical corners of said housing structure when said housing structure is in the erected condition, connecting corner brackets for securing the wall panels together and closing said space, and means on said roof component for engagement with the frame structure of a like structure, whereby the housing structure and like housing structures in a shipping condition may be shipped in stacked relation with one housing structure being carried directly on the roof component of another.

Claim 3

A portable housing structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said edge members projecting downwardly from said roof panel define a bottom edge surface around the periphery of said roof component and wherein each wall panel has an upper edge surface engageable with said bottom edge surface, one of said edge surfaces having a keyslot therein and the other having a keystrip therealong for reception in said keyslot when said housing structure is in the erected condition.

Claim 4

A portable housing structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said edge members projecting downwardly from said roof panel define a bottom edge surface around the periphery of said roof component, and wherein said floor panel has an upper peripheral surface portion thereabout for engagement with said bottom edge surface, one of said surfaces having a keyslot therein and the other having a keystrip therealong for reception in said keyslot when said housing structure is in the shipping condition.

Claim 5

A portable housing structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said edge members projecting downwardly from said roof panel define a bottom edge surface around the periphery of said roof component, wherein said floor panel has a flat upper surface providing a peripheral surface portion thereabout for engagement with said bottom edge surface of said roof component when said housing structure is in the shipping condition, and wherein said wall panels have upper edge surfaces for engagement with said bottom edge surface of said roof component and bottom edge surfaces for engagement with said peripheral surface portion of said floor component when said housing structure is in the erected condition, said bottom edge surface of said roof component and said bottom edge surfaces of said wall panels having a keyslot therein, said upper edges of said wall panels having keystrips therealong for reception in keyslot in the bottom edge surface of said roof component when said housing structure is in the erected condition, said peripheral surface portion having a keystrip therealong for reception in the keyslot of said roof component when said housing structure is in the shipping condition and in the keyslot of the bottom edge surface of the wall panels when the housing structure is in the erected condition.

Claim 6

A portable housing structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said tie-down means includes a plurality of members for connection between said roof and floor components at spaced intervals about said housing structure, each member including a turnbuckle of adjustable length and a cable member having means for end-to-end connection with said turnbuckle for securing said roof component to said floOr component when said housing structure is in the erected condition, said turnbuckle being separable from said cable member for use in securing said roof component to said floor component when said housing structure is in said shipping condition.

Claim 7

A portable housing structure as defined in claim 5, wherein said roof component has a metal rub-rail extending along the upper corner edge thereabout, wherein said floor component has a metal rub-rail extending along the lower corner edge thereabout, and including a plurality of lugs fixed to said rub-rails and projecting laterally therefrom, said plurality of members having means for connection between lugs on said roof component and on said floor component.

Claim 8

A portable housing structure comprising a box beam roof component having a roof panel and downwardly depending edge members formed integrally with the roof panel about the periphery thereof, a plurality of wall panels, a floor component including a floor panel carried on a frame structure, tie-down means for securing said roof component to said floor component with said wall panels held in a vertical position between said edge members of said roof component and said floor component when said housing structure is in an erected condition and for securing said roof component directly on said floor component with said wall panels contained under said roof component when said housing structure is in a shipping condition, said wall panels inside and outside surfaces and end edge surfaces, the end edge surfaces of adjacent wall panels having a space therebetween at vertical corners of said housing structure when said housing structure is in the erected condition, connecting corner brackets for securing the wall panels together and closing said space, said roof component having a protective corner bracket secured to each vertical corner thereof, each protective corner bracket having a flared lower portion projecting below said depending edge members for overlapping the connecting corner brackets when said housing structure is in the erected condition and overlapping the vertical corners of said floor component when said housing structure is in the shipping condition, and means on said roof component for engagement with the frame structure of a like structure, whereby the housing structure and like housing structures in a shipping condition may be shipped in stacked relation with one housing structure being carried directly on the roof component of another.

Claim 9

A portable housing structure comprising a box beam roof component having a roof panel and downwardly depending edge members formed integrally with the roof panel about the periphery thereof, a plurality of wall panels, a floor component including a floor panel carried on a frame structure, tie-down means for securing said roof component to said floor component with said wall panels held in a vertical position between said edge members of said roof component and said floor component when said housing structure is in an erected condition and for securing said roof component directly on said floor component with said wall panels contained under said roof component when said housing structure is in a shipping condition, said wall panels inside and outside surfaces and end edge surfaces, the end edge surfaces of adjacent wall panels having a space therebetween at vertical corners of said housing structure when said housing structure is in the erected condition, connecting corner brackets for securing the wall panels together and closing said space, said roof component having a protective corner bracket secured to each vertical corner thereof, each protective corner bracket having a flared lower portion projecting below said depending edge members for overlapping the connecting corner brackets when said housing structure is in the erected condition and overlapping the vertical corners of said floor component when said housing structure is in the shipping condition, and means on said roof component for engagement with the frame structure of a like structure, whereby the housing structure and like housing structures in a shipping condition may be shipped in stacked relation with one housing structure being carried directly on the roof component of another.

Claim 10

A portable housing structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame structure includes elongated members secured below the floor panel, and wherein said means on the roof component for engagement with the frame structure of a like structure includes plate-like members overlying the roof panel.