Background of the Invention There is frequently the demand for emergency housing that may emanate from a natural disaster or military conflict. The homes need to be erected reasonably rapidly with a minimum of skilled labour.

Although there is available transportable homes, these homes do not lend themselves to be transported at reasonable cost in large numbers.

Disclosed in patent literature AU 198314291, AU 198818477, AU 767231, US 4, 891,919, US 5,447, 000, WO 03/085216, WO 84/01974, WO 93/20297, WO 98/02626 and WO 98/17876 are various buildings. Some of these buildings are designed to be ISO container suitable. However none of these previous structures provide a transportable building having lower and upper rooms.

ISO shipping containers have and are employed as transportable buildings.

However these shipping containers are configured for particular usages, that as an office, kitchen or bathroom. The available space provided by the container does not lend them to affordable housing. Accordingly they are relatively expensive to employ as portable buildings.

Object of the Invention It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantage.

Summary of the Invention There is disclosed herein a transportable building including: a floor frame; spaced end wall frames attached to and extending upwardly from the floor frame; a side wall frame attached to and extending upwardly from the floor frame so as to extend between the end wall frames, the end and side wall frames at least partly surrounding at least one lower room space;

a frame assembly supported on the end wall frames and side wall frame providing a ceiling frame for said lower room space and a floor frame for an upper room space; and a roof frame pivotally attached to the side wall frame so as to be angularly movable between a transport position substantially overlaying said frame assembly, and an erected position extending upwardly from said side wall at an acute angle to said frame assembly, so as to co-operate therewith to providing said upper room space.

Preferably, said building is configured to be received within a ISO container space.

Preferably, the floor frames is provided with a sheet flooring, said side wall frames are provided with an external and an internal cladding, and said roof frame is provided with an external cladding.

Preferably, at least one lower room is provided with kitchen facilities and a further lower room provided with bathroom facilities.

Preferably, two transportable buildings are provided, which when in an erected configuration have the roof frames converging upwardly, with the roof frames being joined by a roof insert frame.

There is further disclosed herein, in combination the above building and assemblies to aid in the transportation thereof, each assembly being provided to be located adjacent a respective one of said end wall frames so that the building extends between the assemblies, and wherein each assembly includes: a generally horizontal elongated base; a pair of generally parallel, co-extensive, transversely spaced vertical columns operatively associated with the base to move the base; and wherein the base and columns of both assemblies are configured so that the building is supported by the bases and is raised and lowered thereby.

Preferably, said combination includes a mounting member extending between the lower extremities of the columns of each assembly, the mounting members being adapted to receive container mounting projections to secure the assemblies and the associated building during transportation.

Brief Description of the Drawings A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic isometric view of the frame of a transportable home; Figure 2 is a schematic floor plan of the lower floor of a home having a frame of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic floor plan of the upper floor of the home employing the frame of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a schematic sectioned end elevation of the home of Figures 2 and 3 sectioned along the line A-A; Figure 5 is a schematic isometric view of a portion of the frame of Figure 1; Figure 6 is a schematic part sectioned side elevation of a pivot assembly employed in the frame of Figure 5; Figure 7 is a schematic isometric view of a roof insert frame employed in the frame of Figure 1; Figure 8 is a schematic side elevation of a transportation assembly to aid in transporting the home of Figures 2 and 3; Figure 9 is a schematic end elevation of the assembly of Figure 8.

Figures 10,12 and 14 are schematic end elevations of the assembly of Figures 8 and 9 in various configurations; Figures 11 and 13 are schematic end elevations of the assemblies as shown respectively in Figures 10 and 12; Figure 15 is a schematic top plan view of the assembly as shown in Figure 14; Figure 16 is a schematic end elevation of portion of the frame of Figure 5 showing the pivot assembly of Figure 6; Figure 17 is a schematic end elevation of the frame portion and pivot assembly of Figure 16 in a further configuration ; and Figure 18 is a schematic top plan view of the frame of Figure 5 in a transport configuration.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment In the accompanying drawings there is schematically depicted a transportable home 10. In this respect it should be appreciated that the floor plans of Figures 2 and 3 are an example only and that other floor plans are employable.

The home 10 is constructed from a pair of transportable buildings 11 and 12. In the following description, the frame of the building 11 will be described. The frame of

the building 12 is substantially a mirror image of the frame of the building 11. The buildings 11 and 12 when attached provide a central spine.

The building 11 includes a ground (lower) floor frame 13 to which floor supports 14 and sheet floor material 15 is applied. Typically, the material 15 is particle board and may be overlayed with a floor covering. Attached to and extending upwardly from the floor frame 13 are end wall frames 16 that are both internally and externally cladded, and provided with an insulation material if so required. Extending between the end wall frames 16 is a side wall frame 17 that is also internally and externally cladded, and provided with an insulating material if so required. Opposite the side wall frame 17, between wall end frames 16, is a support frame 18. Supported by the end wall frames 16, the side wall frame 17 and support frame 18 is a ceiling frame 19 that has a ceiling lining attached. The ceiling frame 19 acts as a bearer for braces 30. Also an upper floor frame 20 is also provided and has sheet floor material 15 attached. Floor frame 20 is independently attached to side wall frame 17 and support frame 18. The frame 19 and frame 20 provide a frame assembly 53.

Pivotally attached to the side wall frame 17 by one or more pivot assemblies 21 is a roof frame 22. The roof frame 22 would have an external roof cladding 21 and preferably an internal cladding 24, and insulation material if so required. When erected the adjacent roof frames 22 are joined by an insert frame 25 that is also externally and internally cladded. The size and configuration of the insert frame 25 will determine the inclination of the roof frames 22 and therefore the room space available to the upper floor of the home 10.

Preferably, there is a plurality of the pivot assemblies 21 that connect each roof frame 22 to an associated one of the side frames 17. Each pivot assembly 21 includes a central shaft 26 that is attached to the frame 22 to support the frame 22, and a surrounding sleeve or bearing 27 that is fixed to the associated side frame 17. The shaft 26 is slidably mounted within the sleeve 27 for angular movement about the longitudinal axis 28.

Extending between each frame 22 and the associated ceiling frame 19 and/or floor frame 20 are jacks 29 that are operated to cause pivoting movement of the associated frame 22 about a horizontal axis. Accordingly, the jacks 29 raise and lower the associated frame 22 between the lowered transport position at which the frame 22 is horizontal and located adjacent the frame 20, and a raised position at which the frame 22 extends upwardly at an acute angle to the frame 19. The jacks 29 may be hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical. Preferably, once the frames 22 are in the raised position,

braces 30 are secured in position to and in maintaining the inclination of the associated frame 22.

Once the frames 22 are in their raised position, end frames 31 are secured in position together with the insert frame 25.

If so required, the various frames may be provided with door and/or window openings.

Preferably, the frames are provided with service conduits (sewerage and water) and electrical wiring.

As mentioned previously, the building 11 when in the transport configuration occupies a volume similar to that of an ISO container. This enables efficient transportation of the building 11 and the efficient use of available equipment currently used for the handling of such containers.

It is also preferred that the building 11 be provided with appropriate gaskets and seals so that when erected the various walls are sealingly joined.

It is further preferred that the building 11 have the various frames formed from metal such as extruded aluminium and/or rolled sheet metal. Typically, the external cladding may be metal sheeting or plastic sheeting.

In Figures 18 to 13 there is schematically depicted transportation assemblies 32.

The assemblies 32 are intended to support an associated one of the buildings 11. A building 11 would occupy the space 33 (as shown in Figure 8) that would approximate the size of an ISO container. Preferably, the building 11 would also be provided with a bolt on transom frame 34 that would facilitate handling of the building 10 by suitable equipment such as forklifts.

Each assembly 32 includes a base member 35 to which the associated building 11 is secured by means of flanges 36. The base 35 has an upper rectangular hollow member 38 that slidably receives inner members 39 to which there is attached end collars 37. The inner members 39 are movable between a retracted position (as shown in Figure 12) and an extended position (as shown in Figure 14). The end collars 37 have rotatably driven jacks 40 that engage columns 41 to cause vertical movement of the collars 37 along the columns 41 to raise and lower the base member 35.

In operation of the base member 35, the inner members 39 are extended and the jacks 40 operated to cause the lower end of the columns 41 to engage a ground surface to support the assembly 32 and the building supported thereon. When the inner members 39 are in the extended configuration and the base member 35 raised to an appropriate height,

the assemblies 32 and the building 11 supported thereon may be mounted on or removed from a motor lorry.

Preferably, each assembly further includes a transport member 42 that includes a transverse beam 43 to which there is pivotally attached a pair of legs 44. The legs 44 are angularly movable between a transport position as shown in Figure 14 and an operative position (ground engaging) position as shown in Figure 12. Typically, the legs 44 would be provided with support pads 45. Preferably, the legs 44 would be adjustable in length.

When in the operative position the legs 44 would support their associated building 11 in a raised position.

Preferably, each transverse member 43 would have sockets 46 that would receive the projections that would typically secure an ISO container in position.

In a further preferred form, each assembly 32 would further include a stacking frame 47 including a transverse member 48 supported by vertical columns 49.

Each column 49 is bolted to flanges 50 and 51 so that each member 48 is supported on the lower member 35. Each member 48 has projections 52 that would engage within the sockets 46 of an associated assembly 32 stacked thereon. Accordingly, the assemblies 32 and their associated buildings 33 are vertically stackable.

The above described preferred embodiment has a number of advantages including being easily transported by sea, rail and road while taking advantage of existing container handling equipment.

The home 10 can accommodate a wide variety of floor plans, with the upper floor being changeable in ceiling height by the use of different insert frames.

Preferably, standard materials are employed and the walls, floor and roof provided with insulation.

Preferably, the building 11 is formed from steel, coated to inhibit oxidation. For example, the metal frame members may be galvanised.