Flange Is Useful For Protecting Against Natural Disasters

People can now be protected against a terrifying and destructive storm.

The rectangular-shaped base member features a first end and second end as well as two sides. It also has a thickness and an upstanding flange along the length of each of the two sides. A top surface, a first end surface, a second end surface and a first and second side surfaces define the enclosure.

An aerodynamically stable Storm Shelter was developed by two natives of Lebanon, Missouri. The portable above ground shelter can be adjusted to accommodate a standard sized mobile home. An arch shaped rigid sheet attached permanently to a rectangular shaped base member creates an enclosure for the shelter.

On each end of the shelter, the inventors designed hinged doors to ensure quick and convenient entrance and exit. A failsafe snap locking mechanism is placed on each door, which also has a louvered conduit to make room for ventilation and equalize air pressure. Covers that serve as attachments to each door's exterior surface prevent the louvered conduits from wind damage. The users safety is assured with the help of tie cables, which are tightly connected from one side to the other side over the shelter's top. Inventors use earth anchors and tie rods to secure the tie cables into the ground.

To build the storm shelter, the following materials were used: a rectangular-shaped base member; an enclosure; a rigid arch-shaped sheet member; a first door that forms the storm shelter's first end surface; a second door that forms the storm shelter's second end surface; a first louvered conduit; and a second louvered conduit.

The first door is attached to the base member along the base member's first end to ensure a first access to the storm shelter. An upper aperture and a lower aperture there through are also located in the second door. The second door is also connected to base member along the base member's second. This way, a second access to the storm shelter is provided. The second door also features an upper aperture and lower aperture there through. The first louvered conduit is built in and through the upper aperture in the first door. Finally, a second louvered conduit is built in and through the upper aperture in the second door.

The storm shelter's top surface and the first and the second side surfaces make up the rigid arch-shaped sheet member. The sheet member is placed onto the base member. This way, the sheet member's inner surface is close to the upstanding flange along the length of each of the base member's two sides. Moreover, the sheet member is permanently linked to the base member along the length of each upstanding flange.