GB1577935A

GB1577935A - Collapsible shelter

Info

Publication number: GB1577935A
Application number: GB6302/76A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1977-02-17
Filing date: 1977-02-17
Publication date: 1980-10-29

Description

(54) COLLAPSIBLE SHELTER (71) I, ROGER MILLSOM BROWN, a British Subject, of 51, Sunbury Road.

Stonehouse Estate, Coventry, West Midlands (formerly of 125, Green Lane, Coventry, West Midlands), do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following state ment:- The invention relates to a collapsible shelter.

According to the invention. a collapsible shelter comprises at least a pair of spaced frames which in use extend transversely of the shelter and a plurality of longitudinal members extending between the frames, each frame including a pair of side members, which in use, extend upwardly from a surface on which the shelter is to stand, each side member being pivotally connected at its upper end to a respective end of a roofsupporting member, the other end of each roof-supporting member being pivotally connected one to the other, the pivotal connection between each side member and the respective roof-supporting member and between the roof-supporting members being provided with locking means in the form of an arm pivotally secured to the member at one side of the pivotal connection and detachably connectable to the member at the other side of the pivotal connection, each arm when connected to the member at said other side of each pivotal connection preventing relative pivoting of the members of the frame and maintaining the shelter in an erect position. release of the connection of each arm from the member at said other side of each pivotal connection permitting the shelter to be collapsed bv movement of the pivotal connection between the roofsupporting members of each frame towards the surface so that the roof-supporting members are pivoted into a position between the side-members and by movement of the side members towards each other, the shelter also comprising a flexible covering supported by the frames and the longitudinal members and defining the roof and at least part of the sides of the shelter.

A collapsible shelter in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of the shelter; Figure 2 is an end view of the shelter taken in the direction of arrow 1I shown in Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a perspective view to a smaller scale of the shelter shown in Figure 1 in a partly collapsed position.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the collapsible shelter, which is shown in the erected position, comprises a pair of substantially identical end frames 10 and 11 which are spaced apart and are interconnected by three longitudinal members which will be described later. The end frames 10 and 11, as shown, extend transversely of the shelter. Each end frame 10 and 11, see Figure 2, includes a pair of side members 12 and 13 which extend upwardly from a surface on which the shelter is to stand and a pair of roof-supporting members 14 and 15.

The upper end of the side members 12, 13 of each end frame 10 and 11 are pivotally connected at 16, 17 respectively to one end of the respective roof-supporting members 14. 15. The other end of the roof-supporting members 14 and 15 of each frame 10 and 11 are pivotally connected at 18 to each other.

The longitudinal members, see Figure 1, which interconnect the frames 10 and 11 are arranged so that one longitudinal member 19 extends between the pivotal connections 18. 18 and another longitudinal member 20 extends between each pair of pivotal connections 16. 16 and 17. 17. As shown in Figure 1 a pair of bracing members 21, 22 are provided at each side of the shelter and are connected between a lower part of the respective side members 12, 12 and 13, 13 and a common point substantially centrally of the respective longitudinal members 20, 20. The bracing members 21, 22 are connected to the side members 12, 13 and to the longitudinal members 20 by a respective screw-threaded pin 23, 24 which passes through and is secured to the side and the longitudinal members and extends through a transverse hole provided adjacent each end of the bracing members.The bracing members 21, 22 are retained on the screwthreaded pins 23, 24 by wing nuts. Adjacent the lower end of each side member 12 and 13 is supported a ground-engaging wheel 38.

Each of the members 12 to 15, 21 and 22 may be tubular and have a portion adjacent each end flattened as shown in the drawings to facilitate connection between the members. The longitudinal members 19 and 20 may also be tubular and have a respective co-axial screw-threaded pin 25. 26 extending from and secured to each end to form the pivotal connections 16. 16: 17. 17 and 18.

18. Each of the members 12. 13, 14 and 15 is provided with a transverse hole adjacent each end through which the respective screw-threaded pins 25, 26 extend. the members being retained in position on the respective screw-threaded pins 25. 26 by wing nuts. When the wing nuts are tightened to clamp the respective members of each end frame 10 and 11 together a small amount of resistance to pivoting of the respective members is effected. In order to avoid unintentional collapse of the shelter from the erect position. locking means are provided for each pivotal connection 16. 17 and 18.The locking means for each pivotal connection 16 and 17 is in the form of an arm 27, see Figure 2. which has one end pivotally mounted on a pivot pin 28 secured to the respective side members 12, 13 adjacent the pivotal connections and has the other end in the form of a hook which is detachably engageable with a screwthreaded pin secured to the respective roofsupporting members 14. 15 adjacent the pivotal connections. The hook end of the arms may be retained on the respective screw-threaded pins by a wing nut 29.

Alternativelv. in the case where the pins secured to the roof-supporting members 14.

15 are not screw-threaded. the hook end of the arms 27 may be reained on the respective pins by any suitable fastening device.

Similarly the locking means for each pivotal connection 18 is also in the form of an arm 30. see Figure 2. which is pivotally mounted at one end on a pivot pin 31 secured to the roof-supporting members 14 adjacent the pivot. The other end of the arm 30 is in the form of a hook which is detachably engageable with a screw-threaded pin secured to the roof-supporting members 15 adjacent the pivot. The hook end of the arms 30 may be retained on the screw-threaded pins by a wing nut 32. Also any suitable fastening device may be used to retain the arms 30 on the pins in the case where the pins are not screw-threaded. A flexible covering 33 is supported by the longitudinal members 19 and 20 and is provided on its inner surface with open-ended pockets 34 through which the longitudinal members are passed.The roof-supporting members 14 and 15 each pass through a respective open-ended pocket 35, 36 provided at the ends of the cover 33. The side edges of the cover 33 are tied by a cord 37 to the respective side and bracing members. Therefore it can be seen that the cover 33 is securely held in place.

To fold the shelter into the collapsed position, the wing nuts of the pivotal connections 16, 17 and 18 and the wing nuts 29, 32 adjacent the hook end of the arms 27, 30 are slackened. The hook end of the arms 27, 30 can then be disengaged from the screwthreaded pins to permit the pivotal connections 18 to be pulled or allowed to fall in a downward direction, as viewed in Figure 2.

so that the roof-supporting members 14 and 15 are pivoted into a position between the side members 12 and 13. Then by moving the side members 12 and 13 towards each other, or allowing the side members to move towards each other by continued downward movement of the pivotal connections 18. each end frame 10 and 11, in end view, assumes the shape of a letter 'M' as shown in Figure 3. In Figure 3 the shelter is in a partly collapsed position and for the shelter to be in a fully collapsed position further movement of the side members 12 and 13 towards each other is necessarv. The partly or fully collapsed shelter can be readily stored or either moved on the wheels 38 or otherwise transported to another location for re-erection. To re-erect the shelter, the reverse procedure to that described for foiding the shelter to the collapsed position is employed. During folding of the shelter into the collapsed position. the cover 33 will remain attached to the members.

It will be apparent that in some circumstances the shelter need not be collapsed before being moved to another location and can be pushed on its wheels 38 to the new location.

Although the cover 33 is shown extending only part-way down the sides of the shelter.

the cover could extend to ground-level and may be provided with portions to enclose one or both ends of the shelter. Where two end portions are provided one or both of them may be detachable or be in the form of a flap or flaps to permit access to and from the shelter. The cover 33 may be made from a weather-proof material, e.g. canvas, tarpaulin or a flexible sheet of plastics material.

The shelter may be anchored in position by adjustable hooks secured to the side and/or bracing members and engageable with stakes driven into the ground or with an article that is being covered by the shelter or a suitable fixed location.

The shelter may be used to protect a motor vehicle. e.g. a car, or be used for protecting a worker engaged on external work that can be accommodated within or beneath the shelter. In addition the shelter may be used as a greenhouse by replacing the cover 33 with another cover of a transparent flexible material which extends to ground-level and which has portions to enclose both ends.

If desired two or more of the shelters as hereinbefore described may be secured together end-to-end. In that case a common flexible cover may be used and one of the end frames of one of the shelters which is adjacent the end frame of the other shelter may be omitted.

Two or more collapsible end frames may be supplied with separate longitudinal memhers, which. in use. would be connected to the end frames to form a frame structure as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings. A flexible cover would then be attached to the end frames and longitudinal members. in the manner described hereinbefore and illustrated in the drawings.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A collapsible shelter comprising at least a pair of spaced frames which in use extend transversely of the shelter and a pluralitv of longitudinal members extending between the frames. each frame including a pair of side members. which in use. extend upwardly from a surface on which the shelter is to stand. each side member being pivotally connected at its upper end to a respective end of a roof-supporting member. the other end of each roof-supporting member being pivotally connected one to the other. the pivotal connection between each side member and the respective roofsupporting member and between the roofsupporting members being provided with locking means in the form of an arm pivotally secured to the member at one side of the pivotal connection and detachably connectable to the member at the other side of the pivotal connection, each arm when connected to the member at said other side of each pivotal connection preventing relative pivoting of the members of the frame and maintaining the shelter in an erect position. release of the connection of each arm from the member at said other side of each pivotal connection permitting the shelter to be collapsed by movement of the pivotal connection between the roofsupporting members of each frame towards the surface so that the roof-supporting members are pivoted into a position between the side members and by movement of the side members towards each other, the shelter also comprising a flexible covering supported by the frames and the longitudinal members and defining the roof and at least part of the sides of the shelter.

2. A collapsible shelter as claimed in Claim 1 in which each arm is detachably connectable to the member at said other side of each pivotal connection by providing the appropriate end of each arm in the form of a hook which is engageable with a pin secured to the member at said other side of each pivotal connection.

3. A collapsible shelter as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 in which the longitudinal members interconnect the pivotal connections between the members of one frame to the pivotal connections between the members of the or each adjacent frame.

4. A collapsible shelter as claimed in any preceding claim in which a groundengageable wheel is supported by each side member adjacent the lower end thereof to permit the shelter to be wheeled from one location to another.

5. A collapsible shelter as claimed in any preceding claim including an adjustable hook securable to one or more of the side members and to a fixed location to anchor the shelter in position.

6. A collapsible shelter constructed and arranged substantially as described herein and shown in Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. the shelter. The cover 33 may be made from a weather-proof material, e.g. canvas, tarpaulin or a flexible sheet of plastics material. The shelter may be anchored in position by adjustable hooks secured to the side and/or bracing members and engageable with stakes driven into the ground or with an article that is being covered by the shelter or a suitable fixed location. The shelter may be used to protect a motor vehicle. e.g. a car, or be used for protecting a worker engaged on external work that can be accommodated within or beneath the shelter. In addition the shelter may be used as a greenhouse by replacing the cover 33 with another cover of a transparent flexible material which extends to ground-level and which has portions to enclose both ends. If desired two or more of the shelters as hereinbefore described may be secured together end-to-end. In that case a common flexible cover may be used and one of the end frames of one of the shelters which is adjacent the end frame of the other shelter may be omitted. Two or more collapsible end frames may be supplied with separate longitudinal memhers, which. in use. would be connected to the end frames to form a frame structure as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings. A flexible cover would then be attached to the end frames and longitudinal members. in the manner described hereinbefore and illustrated in the drawings. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A collapsible shelter comprising at least a pair of spaced frames which in use extend transversely of the shelter and a pluralitv of longitudinal members extending between the frames. each frame including a pair of side members. which in use. extend upwardly from a surface on which the shelter is to stand. each side member being pivotally connected at its upper end to a respective end of a roof-supporting member. the other end of each roof-supporting member being pivotally connected one to the other. the pivotal connection between each side member and the respective roofsupporting member and between the roofsupporting members being provided with locking means in the form of an arm pivotally secured to the member at one side of the pivotal connection and detachably connectable to the member at the other side of the pivotal connection, each arm when connected to the member at said other side of each pivotal connection preventing relative pivoting of the members of the frame and maintaining the shelter in an erect position. release of the connection of each arm from the member at said other side of each pivotal connection permitting the shelter to be collapsed by movement of the pivotal connection between the roofsupporting members of each frame towards the surface so that the roof-supporting members are pivoted into a position between the side members and by movement of the side members towards each other, the shelter also comprising a flexible covering supported by the frames and the longitudinal members and defining the roof and at least part of the sides of the shelter.