The present invention relates to construction of a jail complex comprising one or more adjacent pairs of modular four sided jail cells.
BACKGROUND
Modular jail cells that accelerate and simplify prison construction and maximize shipping efficiency have been known for some time. Examples of prior disclosures of such structures are found in the U.S. patent to Lerner et al. entitled Modular Jail system and Method of Preparing the Same, issued Oct. 11, 1994 and U.S. patents to Richard J. Seavy, U.S. Pat. No. 7,178,298 for Structures Incorporating Interlocking Wall Modules, issued Feb. 20 2007, 7,318,300 for Modularized Jail Cell, issued Jan. 15, 2008 and 10,323,405 for System for Connecting Structural elements of Prefabricated Jail Cells, issued Jun. 18, 2019.
All of these prior art disclosures contemplate interlocking stackable and repeatable stand-alone cells that may be utilized to construct a jail complex. While the prefabricated aspect of modular cells provide major prison construction efficiencies, the comprehensiveness of each cell with its front and rear walls and two opposing side walls results in double walls at the horizontal juncture of two adjoining cells, detrimentally increasing the weight of the total structure and expanding the footprint of the complex.
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to create a jail complex comprising one or more pairs of modular cells where adjacent cells in each pair and adjacent cells where two pairs are joined have a single common side wall, thus reducing the footprint and the weight of adjoining cells, the latter being of special significance where the cells are to be stacked.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The jail complex contemplated by the present invention consists of a plurality of adjoining pairs of four sided jail cells where each cell in a pair comprises a ceiling, front and rear walls, all interconnected by a single side wall. When joined together the single wall becomes a common wall between the two adjoining cells in the pair. A separate side wall member encloses the pair or the plurality of adjoining pairs.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of two pair of modular cells in adjoining position to form a jail complex.
FIG. 2 is a top left perspective view of the left modular cell of a pair.
FIG. 3 is a top right perspective view of the left modular cell of a pair.
FIG. 4 is a top left perspective view of the right modular cell of a pair.
FIG. 5 is a top right perspective view of the right modular cell of a pair.
FIG. 6 is a top left perspective view of a joined pair of left and right modular cells.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a typical wall member of a modular cells without the interior plate.
FIG. 8 is a plan view of a connected pair of left and right modular cells.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1, a jail complex 2 is formed of a string of two adjoining cell pairs 6 where each pair comprises left and right modular cells 10 and 12. End wall 15 encloses the first modular cell in the string. While FIG. 1 depicts a string of two cell pairs it is understood that the string of adjoining pairs can be any number of pairs to fit the dimensions of available space for the jail complex.
FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the construction of the left modular cell 10 of the pair 6 which includes front wall 17, rear wall 18, side wall 19 and ceiling panel 20. A door 22 in the front wall 17 enables access to the cell. As seen best in FIG. 8, a chase wall 25 is angularly connected on one of its longitudinal sides to the interior of the front wall. The opposing longitudinal side of the chase wall is connected to the front terminal end of the side wall 19. The chase wall 25 supports a sink 26 and toilet 27. A cut-out 29 in the front wall 17 is adapted to accommodate a door 50 to permit access to the sink and toilet plumbing on the back side of the chase wall
FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate the construction of the right modular cell 12 of the pair 6 which includes front wall 30, rear wall 31 and side wall 32, which interconnects the front and rear walls. A ceiling panel 35 furnishes the top member of the cell. A door 37 in the front wall 30 enables access to the cell. A chase wall 39 is angularly connected on one of its longitudinal sides to the interior of the front wall 30. The angle of the connection to the front wall 30 is the same as the angle of connection between the chase wall 25 and the front wall 17 in the left modular cell 10. The opposing longitudinal side of the chase wall 39 remains unattached until the cell 12 is joined with cell 10 at which time the opposing longitudinal side of the chase wall 39 is attached to the front terminal end of the side wall 19 of the left modular cell. The chase wall 39 supports a sink 40 and toilet 41. A cut-out 43 in the front wall 30 is adapted to accommodate a door 50 to permit access to the sink and toilet plumbing on the back side of the chase wall 39.
The wall construction shown in FIG. 7 is typical of the construction of the front, rear, side wall, and ceiling of each cell and the end wall 15, which include spaced apart mutually parallel steel studs 55 within a frame 57 that supports a light gauge steel wall surface plate 59. The side wall and the front wall are surfaced on both sides with the steel surface plate.
As best seen in FIGS. 6 and 8, the primary object of the present invention is achieved when the left and right modular cells are joined into a pair 6. The single side wall 19 of cell 10 becomes the common wall between cells 10 and 12, thus eliminating the double side walls typical of the prior art cell construction. If additional cell pairs are added to the pair 6, side wall 32 of the right modular cell 12 becomes the common wall between the left cell in the adjoining pair of cells and the right cell 12 of pair 6. End wall 15 will enclose the left modular cell 10 on its open side.
Patent Application
20210381226
