Building structure with hinged walls

Claim 2

A movable building structure, said structure comprising: a. a fixed wall module, said module defining opposing end walls and coplanar upper and lower floor and ceiling panels, each of said coplanar panels defining longitudinal edges which extend the length of said module; b. at least one movable sidewall, said sidewall being movable from a collapsed position to an extended position, said sidewall remaining parallel to a plane defined by the end walls and the upper and lower longitudinal edges as it travels from its collapsed position to its extended position; c. a pair of movable end walls, each of said end walls defining first and second vertical edges, each of said movable end walls being pivotally connected to said movable side wall along their first vertical edges; d. means for reciprocally mounting the second vertical edge of each of said end wall to the longitudinal edges of said fixed module, said means including carrier means attached to the second vertical edges of said end walls, said means also including a longitudinal guide means attached to the longitudinal edges of said fixed module to define a reciprocal path through said carrier means, said carrier means traversing the longitudinal guide means as said sidewall moves from its collapsed position to its extended position.

Claim 3

A movable building structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein a floor panel is pivotally mounted on said movable sidewall, said floor panel being coextensive with the floor panel of said fixed module when said sidewall is extended, and parallel to said sidewall when said sidewall is in its collapsed position.

Claim 4

A movable building structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one floor panel is pivotally mounted adjacent the longitudinal edge of the floor panel of said fixed module, said floor panel being coextensive with the floor panel of said fixed module when said sidewall is extended, and parallel to said sidewall when said sidewall is in its collapsed position.

Claim 5

A movable building structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fixed module defines a roof portion, said structure also comprising a roof panel which is slidably mounted on said movable wall, said roof panel being substantially parallel to said roof portion mounted on said fixed module when said sidewall is extended, and substantially parallel to the sidewall when the sidewall is collapsed.

Claim 6

A movable building structure as claimed in claim 4 wherein said fixed module roof portion defines a ridge pole and a pair of downwardly sloping roof portions, said slidably mounted roof portion being substantially parallel to its adjacent fixed roof portion when said sidewall is extended, said roof portion sloping downwardly from the upper longitudinal edge defined on said fixed module.

Claim 7

A movable building structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fixed module defines a roof portion, said structure also defining a roof panel which is pivotally connected to said movable sidewall, said roof panel being substantially parallel to the roof portion mounted on said fixed module when said sidewall is extended, and substantially parallel to the sidewall when the sidewall is collapsed.

Claim 8

A movable building structUre as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for reciprocally mounting the end walls comprise at least one longitudinal guide means mounted adjacent and parallel to the longitudinal edge of said fixed module, said means also defining a pair of carriers mounted on said guide means, one of said carriers being attached to one of said movable end walls and the other of said carriers being attached to the second movable end wall.

Claim 9

A movable building structure as claimed in claim 7 wherein said guide means comprises a rotatable and threaded shaft, and said carriers comprise threaded means that travel longitudinally along said shaft as said shaft rotates.

Claim 10

An expandable building structure as claimed in claim 1 comprising a fourth movable panel which is pivotably mounted to the longitudinal edge of said first movable panel, said fourth panel being coextensive with one of said first pair of panels of said fixed module when said first movable panel is extended, and parallel to said first movable panel when said panel is in its collapsed position.

Claim 11

An expandable building structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said guide means further comprise a rotatable and threaded shaft, and each of said carriers further comprise threaded means that travel longitudinally along the shaft as said shaft rotates.

Claim 12

A movable building structure, said structure comprising: a. a fixed wall module, said module defining opposing end walls and coplanar upper and lower floor and ceiling panels, each of said coplanar panels defining longitudinal edges which extend the length of said module; b. at least one movable sidewall, said sidewall being movable from a collapsed position to an extended position, said sidewall remaining parallel to an opening defined by the end walls and the upper and lower longitudinal edges as it travels from its collapsed position to its extended position; c. a pair of movable end walls, each of said end walls defining first and second vertical edges, each of said movable end walls being pivotally connected to said movable sidewall along their first vertical edges; d. rotatable and threaded means for reciprocally mounting the second vertical edges of each of the end walls to the longitudinal edges of said fixed module, each of said end walls being pivotally attached to a threaded and non-rotatable carrier mounted on said rotatable and threaded means, said carriers and said second vertical edges traversing the longitudinal edges of said fixed module as said sidewall moves from its collapsed position to its extended position.

Claim 13

A movable building structure, said structure comprising: a. a fixed wall module, said module defining opposing end walls and coplanar upper and lower floor and ceiling panels, each of said coplanar panels defining longitudinal edges which extend the length of said module; b. at least one movable sidewall, said sidewall being movable from a collapsed position to an extended position, said sidewall remaining parallel to an opening defined by the end walls and the upper and lower longitudinal edges as it travels from its collapsed position to its extended position; c. a pair of movable end walls, each of said end walls defining first and second vertical edges, each of said movable end walls being pivotally connected to said movable sidewall along their first vertical edges; d. rotatable and threaded means for reciprocally mounting the second vertical edges of each of the end walls to the longitudinal edges of said fixed module, each of said end walls being pivotally attached to a threaded and non-rotatable carrier mounted on said rotatable and threaded means, said carriers and said second vertical edges traversing the longitudinal edges of said fixed module as said sidewall moves from its collapsed position to its extended position.

Claim 14

A movable building structure as claimed in claim 11 wherein said fixed module defines a roof portion, said structure also comprising a roof panel which is slidably mounted on said movable wall, said roof panel being substantially parallel to the roof portion mounted on said fixed module when said sidewall is extended, and substantially parallel to said sidewall when the sidewall is collapsed.

Claim 15

A movable building structure as claimed in claim 11 wherein a floor panel is pivotally mounted on said movable sidewall, said floor panel being coextensive with the floor panel of said fixed module when said sidewall is extended, and parallel to said sidewall when said sidewall is in its collapsed position.

Claim 16

An expandable building structure, said structure comprising: a. a fixed wall module, said module defining opposing end walls and coplanar upper and lower ceiling panels, each of said coplanar panels defining longitudinal edges which extend the length of said module; b. at least one movable sidewall, said sidewall being movable from a collapsed position to an extended position, said sidewall remaining parallel to a plane defined by the end walls and upper and lower longitudinal edges as it travels from its collapsed position to its extended position; c. a pair of movable end walls, each of said end walls defining first and second vertical edges having first and second support means mounted thereon foR supporting said movable end walls and said movable sidewalls; d. said first support means further comprising pivoting means attached to the first vertical edges of said movable sidewalls; e. said second support means comprising reciprocating means for supporting the second vertical edges of each of said end walls, said means including carrier means attached to the second vertical edges of said end walls, said means also including longitudinal guide means for said carrier means, said longitudinal guide means being parallel with the longitudinal edges of said modules, said guide means defining a reciprocal path for said carrier means as said sidewall moves from its collapsed position to its extended position; f. one of said support means being attached to the longitudinal edges of said fixed wall module and the other of said support means being attached to said movable sidewalls.

Claim 17

An expandable building structure, said structure comprising: a. a fixed wall module, said module defining opposing end walls and coplanar upper and lower ceiling panels, each of said coplanar panels defining longitudinal edges which extend the length of said module; b. at least one movable sidewall, said sidewall being movable from a collapsed position to an extended position, said sidewall remaining parallel to a plane defined by the end walls and upper and lower longitudinal edges as it travels from its collapsed position to its extended position; c. a pair of movable end walls, each of said end walls defining first and second vertical edges having first and second support means mounted thereon foR supporting said movable end walls and said movable sidewalls; d. said first support means further comprising pivoting means attached to the first vertical edges of said movable sidewalls; e. said second support means comprising reciprocating means for supporting the second vertical edges of each of said end walls, said means including carrier means attached to the second vertical edges of said end walls, said means also including longitudinal guide means for said carrier means, said longitudinal guide means being parallel with the longitudinal edges of said modules, said guide means defining a reciprocal path for said carrier means as said sidewall moves from its collapsed position to its extended position; f. one of said support means being attached to the longitudinal edges of said fixed wall module and the other of said support means being attached to said movable sidewalls.

Claim 18

A movable building structure as claimed in claim 14 wherein said fixed module roof portion defines a ridge pole and a pair of downwardly sloping roof portions, said slidably mounted roof portion being substantially parallel to its adjacent fixed roof portion when said sidewall is extended, said roof portion sloping downwardly from the upper longitudinal edge defined on said fixed module.

Claim 19

An expandable building structure, said structure comprising: a. a fixed module, said fixed module defining two pairs of opposing panels, the first pair of panels being coplanar and defining longitudinal edges which extend the length of said module, the second pair of panels joining the first pair of panels together to form an open polygon structure with at least one closed perimeter; b. a first movable panel for said module, said panel being movable from a collapsed position to an extended position, said panel remaining parallel to a plane defined by the longitudinal edges of said first pair of panels as said movable panel travels from its collapsed position to its extended position; c. a pair of movable panels, each of said panels defining first and second longitudinal edges, each of said panels being pivotably connected to said first movable panel along their first longitudinal edges; d. means for reciprocally mounting the longitudinal edges of said pair of movable panels, said means comprising at least one longitudinal guide means mounted adjacent and parallel to the longitudinal edges of said fixed module, said means also defining a pair of carriers mounted on said guide means, one of said carriers being attached to one of said pair of movable panels and the other of said carriers being attached to the other of said pair of movable panels.

Claim 20

An expandable building structure, said structure comprising: a. a fixed module, said fixed module defining two pairs of opposing panels, the first pair of panels being coplanar and defining longitudinal edges which extend the length of said module, the second pair of panels joining the first pair of panels together to form an open polygon structure with at least one closed perimeter; b. a first movable panel for said module, said panel being movable from a collapsed position to an extended position, said panel remaining parallel to a plane defined by the longitudinal edges of said first pair of panels as said movable panel travels from its collapsed position to its extended position; c. a pair of movable panels, each of said panels defining first and second longitudinal edges, each of said panels being pivotably connected to said first movable panel along their first longitudinal edges; d. means for reciprocally mounting the longitudinal edges of said pair of movable panels, said means comprising at least one longitudinal guide means mounted adjacent and parallel to the longitudinal edges of said fixed module, said means also defining a pair of carriers mounted on said guide means, one of said carriers being attached to one of said pair of movable panels and the other of said carriers being attached to the other of said pair of movable panels.