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US 10,208,474 B2Granted
Elevatable building for preventing flood damage
AssigneeLarkfleet Limited
InventorsTom Kelly, Graham Hicks
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An elevatable building including a foundation (18) set into a ground surface and a platform (15) that, in the event of a flood, is to be elevated by a lifting mechanism (19). The building includes lightweight walls (14) and a roof assembled on the platform (15) to form a house. An adaptable connection (28) for utility services is provided which adjusts to the height from ground level of the platform when it is raised or lowered by the lifting mechanism so that vital service to the house can remain uninterrupted.
Claims29
An elevatable building for preventing flood damage including:
- a foundation permanently set into a ground level surface;
- a platform;
- a plurality of walls and a roof assembled on the platform that define a habitable space of the building;
- a lifting mechanism associated with the platform, the lifting mechanism having a driving system and a plurality of threaded vertical shafts engageable with the driving system for raising the platform above the ground level surface and away from the foundation to enable flood water to pass beneath the platform, wherein the driving system is arranged to move the platform axially along the threaded vertical shafts and, in at least some operational conditions, at least part of each threaded vertical shaft passes directly through and is received above the platform and the parts of the threaded vertical shafts received above the platform are housed in the walls and are hidden from view by the walls;
- and
- an adaptable connection for directing utility services from the ground level toward and/or into the habitable space, wherein the adaptable connection is capable of adapting to the height from ground level of the platform when it is raised or lowered by the lifting mechanism, thereby enabling utility services to remain connected while the platform is raised above the ground level surface.
3 more elements
An elevatable building for preventing flood damage including:
- a foundation permanently set into a ground level surface;
- a platform;
- a plurality of walls and a roof assembled on the platform that define a habitable space of the building;
- a lifting mechanism associated with the platform, the lifting mechanism having a driving system and at least one threaded vertical shaft engageable with the driving system for raising the platform above the ground level surface and away from the foundation to enable flood water to pass beneath the platform, wherein the at least one threaded vertical shaft is engageable with a drive surface that rotates the at least one vertical shaft to move the platform axially along the at least one threaded vertical shaft, and in at least some operational conditions, at least part of the at least one threaded vertical shaft passes directly through the platform and is received above the platform in an area of the platform enclosed by outer surfaces of the walls, and is hidden from view by the walls;
- and
- an adaptable connection for directing utility services from the ground level toward the habitable space, wherein the adaptable connection is capable of adapting to the height from ground level of the platform when it is raised or lowered by the lifting mechanism, thereby enabling utility services to remain connected while the platform is raised above the ground level surface.
3 more elements
An elevatable building for preventing flood damage including:
- a foundation permanently set into a ground level surface;
- a platform;
- a plurality of walls and a roof assembled on the platform that define a habitable space of the building;
- a lifting mechanism associated with the platform, the lifting mechanism having a driving system and at least one vertical shaft engageable with the driving system for raising the platform above the ground surface and away from the foundation to enable flood water to pass beneath the platform, wherein the driving system is arranged to move the platform axially along the at least one vertical shaft from a first position to a second position, and in at least some operable conditions, at least part of the at least one threaded vertical shaft passes directly through and is received above the platform in an area of the platform enclosed by outer surfaces of the walls, and is hidden from view by the walls;
- and
- an adaptable connection for directing utility services from the ground level toward the habitable space, wherein the adaptable connection is capable of adapting to the height from ground level of the platform when it is raised or lowered by the lifting mechanism, thereby enabling utility services to remain connected while the platform is raised above the ground level surface.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.