Attachment mechanism for blast resistant modular buildings

Abstract

A building module for use in constructing a blast-resistant modular building. The building module includes a pair of parallel skid members and a rectangular body mounted on the skid members. The body includes sides, a roof and a floor defining an interior of the building module. A first side of the body includes an opening. A flange co-extensive with opposite sides and a top of the first side includes a plurality of holes for receiving respective bolt-type fasteners. Alignment pins project outwardly from the body proximal a bottom of the first side, for engaging corresponding alignment holes of the other building module. Each alignment pin includes a cylindrical portion at a base end of the pin, and a tapered portion. The cylindrical portion has a diameter corresponding to that of a respective alignment hole such that, when the alignment pin is fully seated in its respective alignment hole, the opening in the first side is secured in proper alignment with a corresponding opening of the other module, and shear loads between the two modules are transferred through the alignment pins. The tapered portion engages the respective alignment hole to properly guide the two module into proper alignment as the two modules are drawn together.

1 . A building module for use in constructing a blast-resistant modular building, the building module comprising:
 a pair of parallel skid members;   a rectangular body mounted on the skid members, the body comprising sides, a roof and a floor defining an interior of the building module, a first side of the body including an opening;   a flange for mating with a respective flange of an other module, the flange being co-extensive with opposite sides and a top of the first side, and including a plurality of holes for receiving respective bolt-type fasteners;   alignment pins projecting outwardly from the body proximal a bottom of the first side, for engaging corresponding alignment holes of the other building module, each alignment pin including:
 a cylindrical portion at a base end of the pin, the cylindrical portion having a diameter corresponding to that of a respective alignment hole such that, when the alignment pin is fully seated in its respective alignment hole, the opening in the first side is secured in proper alignment with a corresponding opening of the other module, and shear loads between the two modules are transferred through the alignment pins; and 
 a tapered portion at a distal end of the pin, the tapered portion engaging the respective alignment hole to properly guide the two module into proper alignment as the two modules are drawn together. 
   
     
     
         2 . The building module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the opening encompasses a portion of the first side of the body. 
     
     
         3 . The building module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the opening encompasses substantially an entire area of the first side of the body. 
     
     
         4 . The building module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the holes in the flange are elongated. 
     
     
         5 . The building module as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein a major axis of each elongated hole is oriented longitudinally with respect to the first side, so as to permit relative movement between the two modules in the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         6 . The building module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a respective alignment pin is disposed at opposite ends of the first side. 
     
     
         7 . The building module as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein each alignment pin is affixed to a respective one of the skid members. 
     
     
         8 . The building module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of alignment pin are disposed in spaced relation along the bottom of the first side. 
     
     
         9 . The building module as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein each alignment pin is affixed to a respective one of the skid members. 
     
     
         10 . The building module as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising alignment holes for receiving corresponding alignment pins of the other module. 
     
     
         11 . The building module as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the alignment pins and alignment holes a symmetrically arranged such that each of the building modules can have a common arrangement of alignment pins and alignment holes.