초록 ▼

The storm shelter is a portable above ground shelter that is aerodynamically stable and can be dimensioned to fit under a standard sized mobile home. The shelter provides an enclosure formed by an arch shaped rigid sheet that is permanently attached to a rectangular shaped base member. Hinged doors

The storm shelter is a portable above ground shelter that is aerodynamically stable and can be dimensioned to fit under a standard sized mobile home. The shelter provides an enclosure formed by an arch shaped rigid sheet that is permanently attached to a rectangular shaped base member. Hinged doors are provided on each end of the shelter for rapid and easy entrance and exit. Each door is provided with a failsafe snap locking mechanism and contains a louvered conduit for ventilation and air pressure equalization. The louvered conduits are protected from wind damage by covers attached to the exterior surface of each door. Further safety is provided through the use of tie cables that are strung tightly from one side to the other side over the top of the shelter and secured into the ground using tie rods and earth anchors.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A storm shelter, comprising:a rectangular-shaped base member having a first end and second end and two sides, a thickness, and an upstanding flange along the length of each of the two sides;an enclosure defined by a top surface, a first end surface, a second end surface, and a first and second si

1. A storm shelter, comprising:a rectangular-shaped base member having a first end and second end and two sides, a thickness, and an upstanding flange along the length of each of the two sides;an enclosure defined by a top surface, a first end surface, a second end surface, and a first and second side surfaces;a rigid arch-shaped sheet member forming the top surface and the first and the second side surfaces of the storm shelter, the sheet member being fit over the base member such that the inner surface of the sheet member is proximal to the upstanding flange along the length of each of the two sides of the base member, the sheet member being permanently connected to the base member along the length of each upstanding flange;a first door forming the first end surface of the storm shelter, the first door being pivotally attached to the base member along the first end of the base member for providing a first access to the storm shelter, the first door having an upper aperture and a lower aperture therethrough;a second door forming the second end surface of the storm shelter, the second door being hingedly attached to the base member along the second end of the base member for providing a second access to the storm shelter, the second door having and upper aperture and lower aperture therethrough;a first louvered conduit disposed in and through the upper aperture in the first door; anda second louvered conduit disposed in and through the upper aperture in the second door.2. The storm shelter according to claim 1, further comprising a locking mechanism for the first door, the locking mechanism comprising:a plurality of catches installed on the inner surface of the sheet member adjacent the first access, each catch being a single piece rigid element having a fixed position in relation to the first access and having a sloped face toward the enclosure;a plurality of latch bar channels mounted to the interior surface of the first door along the peripheral edge of the first door;a plurality of latch bars, each latch bar being mounted in a latch bar channel for linear travel therethrough to releasably engage a catch, each latch bar being positioned by the latch bar channel to impinge on the catch as the door is closed and having a leading beveled edge along an exposed end of the latch bar for riding over the sloped face of the catch as the first door is closed on the first access;a plurality of springs, each spring being in a latch bar channel engaging the latch bar to bias the latch bar against the sloped face with the latch bar assuming an engaged position with the catch when the first door is in the closed position;a plurality of release cables, each release cable being attached to a spring at one end to retract the latch bar to the released position relative to the catch;a pull ring attached to the opposite end of each release cable and positioned at a location substantially beneath the latch bars and catches but within the enclosure of the storm shelter;a retainer clip permanently attached to the interior surface of the first door, the retainer clip holding the pull ring in a fixed position beneath the retainer clip when the first door is in the closed position; anda pull cord attached to the pull ring, the pull cord extending through the lower aperture in the first door for pulling the cables and retracting the latch bars to the released position from outside of the storm shelter.3. The storm shelter according to claim 1, further comprising a locking mechanism for the second door, the locking mechanism comprising:a plurality of catches installed on the inner surface of the sheet member adjacent the second access, each catch being a single piece rigid element having a fixed position in relation to the second access and having a sloped face toward the enclosure;a plurality of latch bar channels mounted to the interior surface of the second door along the peripheral edge of the second door;a plurality of latch bars, each latch bar being mounted in a latch bar channel for linear travel therethrough to releasably engage a catch, each latch bar being positioned by the latch bar channel to impinge on the catch as the door is closed and having a leading beveled edge along an exposed end of the latch bar for riding over the sloped face of the catch as the second door is closed on the second access;a plurality of springs, each spring being in a latch bar channel engaging the latch bar to bias the latch bar against the sloped face with the latch bar assuming an engaged position with the catch when the second door is in the closed position;a plurality of release cables, each release cable being attached to a spring at one end to retract the latch bar to the released position relative to the catch;a pull ring attached to the opposite end of each release cable and positioned at a location substantially beneath the latch bars and catches but within the enclosure of the storm shelter;a retainer clip permanently attached to the interior surface of the second door, the retainer clip holding the pull ring in a fixed position beneath the retainer clip when the second door is in the closed position; anda pull cord attached to the pull ring, the pull cord extending through the lower aperture in the second door for pulling the cables and retracting the latch bars to the released position from outside of the storm shelter.4. The storm shelter according to claim 1, further comprising:a plurality of anchor rods located substantially near the first and second side surfaces of the storm shelter, each anchor rod having a flared upper end and a lower end, wherein each anchor rod is vertically oriented in the ground such that a substantial portion of each rod is underground;a plurality of earth anchors, each earth anchor being connected to the lower end of an anchor rod, wherein each earth anchor prevents the anchor rod from being pulled out of the ground; anda plurality of tie cables, each tie cable having two ends, wherein one end of each tie cable is attached to the flared upper end of an anchor rod located near the first side surface of the storm shelter and the other end of the tie cable is attached to the flared upper end of an anchor rod located near the second side surface of the storm shelter, the tie cable being tightly secured over the top surface of the storm shelter for anchoring the storm shelter to the ground.5. The storm shelter according to claim 1, wherein the first louvered conduit is a louvered vent, the louvered vent being adjustable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the louvered vent is provided to equalize air pressure between the atmosphere outside of the storm shelter and the atmosphere inside the storm shelter.6. The storm shelter according to claim 1, wherein the second louvered conduit is a louvered vent, the louvered vent being adjustable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the louvered vent is provided to equalize air pressure between the atmosphere outside of the storm shelter and the atmosphere inside the storm shelter.7. The storm shelter according to claim 1, further comprising a first protective cover, the first protective cover being attached to the exterior surface of the first door over the first louvered conduit for protecting the first louvered conduit against wind damage.8. The storm shelter according to claim 1, further comprising a second protective cover, the second protective cover being attached to the exterior surface of the second door over the second louvered conduit for protecting the second louvered conduit against wind damage.9. The storm shelter according to claim 1, wherein the sheet member is permanently connected to the base member along the length of each upstanding flange through the use of bolts through holes in the sheet member aligned with horizontal holes through the length of each upstanding flange.10. The storm shelter according to claim 1, further comprising a handle attached to the exterior surface of the first door.11. The storm shelter according to claim 1, further comprising a handle attached to the exterior surface of the second door.12. The storm shelter according to claim 1, further comprising a handle attached to the interior surface of the first door.13. The storm shelter according to claim 1, further comprising a handle attached to the interior surface of the second door.14. The storm shelter according to claim 1, wherein the base member is constructed of steel.15. The storm shelter according to claim 1, wherein the sheet member is constructed of corrugated steel.