GB2060024A - Temporary shelter - Google Patents

Abstract

A temporary shelter that has a roof constructed like an umbrella. Supported by a central support and a flexible wall detachably fixed to the edge of the roof by fastening means. The fastening means may be resilient toothed jaw clamps secured to a beading on the umbrella top and provided with a hook to engage the wall, or may be a sliding fastener. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Temporary shelter This invention relates to a temporary shelter construction.

Shelters such as beach huts, summer houses and the like are generally of a substantially permanent nature in that it is a complicated and expensive matter to move such a shelter from one place to another. There is however a need for a simple shelter which is transportable for example in a private motor car and which can be erected and dismantled quickly and easily without any special tools on a beach or any other place as desired. The present invention has been made from a consideration of this requirement.

According to the invention there is provided a temporary shelter construction comprising a roof having a plurality of ribs each extending outwardly from the centre thereof and collapsible towards each other in the manner of an umbrella and a flexible covering over said ribs, a single support for the centre of roof adapted to stand in or on the ground, a flexible wall and means for detachably fastening the wall to, or adjacent to the outer periphery of the roof.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a temporary shelter construction in elevation.

Referring to the drawing the shelter comprises a roof formed by flexible fabric 10 covering a number of arcuate ribs 12, eight in the embodiment shown which extend radially outwardly from the centre of the roof at equiangular intervals and with the convex side of the rib uppermost. The roof in its erected form has therefore the shape of a shallow octagonal dome.

The ribs are pivoted to a central boss 14 so that the roof can be collapsed in the manner of an umbrella. The roof fabric 10, as can be seen in the drawing, is larger than the area defined by the ribs 12 so that when the roof is erected a downwardly depending valence 1 6 is formed around the periphery of the roof.

The roof is supported by a single central pole 1 8 the lower end of which is received in a ferrule 20 in a base 22. If desired the pole may be set directly in the ground. The pole 1 8 is detachably fixed to the roof and may be made up of a plurality of interconnectable short pieces.

The wall 24 of the structure is also of flexible material and is detachably suspended from the periphery of the roof by eyelets in the material engageable upon hooks on the root A preferred arrangement comprises a member having deformable toothed jaws by which it can be fastened to a strut on the roof frame. The member includes an integral hook on which an eyelet in the wall can be engaged. Other fastenings can be used if desired, for example a sliding clasp fastener.

The wall thus takes up a configuration determined by the periphery of the roof; in the embodiment shown in the drawing this configuration is a plurality of panels defining an octagonal section. The lower edge of the wall is preferably pegged to the ground at intervals for example at the bottom corners of each wall panel.

In the embodiment illustrated the part of the wall making up two panels has been folded back inside the structure so as to form a shelter such as a summer house belvedere or arbour. If desired, however, the wall can extend around the entire structure to afford privacy for changing or other pursuit best conducted out of the public view. The invention can also be used simply as a sunshade by removing the wall completely.

1. A temporary shelter construction comprising a roof having a plurality of ribs each extending outwardly from the centre thereof and collapsible towards each other in the manner of an umbrella, a flexible covering over said ribs, a single support for the centre of the roof adapted to stand in or on the ground, a flexible wall and means for detachably fastening the wall to, or adjacent to, the outer periphery of the roof.

2. A temporary shelter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ribs extend from the centre of the roof at equal intervals.

3. A temporary shelter as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the roof is outwardly convex.

4. A temporary shelter as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the roof covering the fabric is larger than the area defined by the ribs.

5. A temporary shelter as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the fastening means comprises a member having deformable jaws for engagement on a rib and a hook for engagement with the wall.

6. A temporary shelter substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.

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

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Temporary shelter This invention relates to a temporary shelter construction. Shelters such as beach huts, summer houses and the like are generally of a substantially permanent nature in that it is a complicated and expensive matter to move such a shelter from one place to another. There is however a need for a simple shelter which is transportable for example in a private motor car and which can be erected and dismantled quickly and easily without any special tools on a beach or any other place as desired. The present invention has been made from a consideration of this requirement. According to the invention there is provided a temporary shelter construction comprising a roof having a plurality of ribs each extending outwardly from the centre thereof and collapsible towards each other in the manner of an umbrella and a flexible covering over said ribs, a single support for the centre of roof adapted to stand in or on the ground, a flexible wall and means for detachably fastening the wall to, or adjacent to the outer periphery of the roof. A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a temporary shelter construction in elevation. Referring to the drawing the shelter comprises a roof formed by flexible fabric 10 covering a number of arcuate ribs 12, eight in the embodiment shown which extend radially outwardly from the centre of the roof at equiangular intervals and with the convex side of the rib uppermost. The roof in its erected form has therefore the shape of a shallow octagonal dome. The ribs are pivoted to a central boss 14 so that the roof can be collapsed in the manner of an umbrella. The roof fabric 10, as can be seen in the drawing, is larger than the area defined by the ribs 12 so that when the roof is erected a downwardly depending valence 1 6 is formed around the periphery of the roof. The roof is supported by a single central pole 1 8 the lower end of which is received in a ferrule 20 in a base 22. If desired the pole may be set directly in the ground. The pole 1 8 is detachably fixed to the roof and may be made up of a plurality of interconnectable short pieces. The wall 24 of the structure is also of flexible material and is detachably suspended from the periphery of the roof by eyelets in the material engageable upon hooks on the root A preferred arrangement comprises a member having deformable toothed jaws by which it can be fastened to a strut on the roof frame. The member includes an integral hook on which an eyelet in the wall can be engaged. Other fastenings can be used if desired, for example a sliding clasp fastener. The wall thus takes up a configuration determined by the periphery of the roof; in the embodiment shown in the drawing this configuration is a plurality of panels defining an octagonal section. The lower edge of the wall is preferably pegged to the ground at intervals for example at the bottom corners of each wall panel. In the embodiment illustrated the part of the wall making up two panels has been folded back inside the structure so as to form a shelter such as a summer house belvedere or arbour. If desired, however, the wall can extend around the entire structure to afford privacy for changing or other pursuit best conducted out of the public view. The invention can also be used simply as a sunshade by removing the wall completely. CLAIMS

1. A temporary shelter construction comprising a roof having a plurality of ribs each extending outwardly from the centre thereof and collapsible towards each other in the manner of an umbrella, a flexible covering over said ribs, a single support for the centre of the roof adapted to stand in or on the ground, a flexible wall and means for detachably fastening the wall to, or adjacent to, the outer periphery of the roof.

2. A temporary shelter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ribs extend from the centre of the roof at equal intervals.

3. A temporary shelter as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the roof is outwardly convex.

4. A temporary shelter as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the roof covering the fabric is larger than the area defined by the ribs.

5. A temporary shelter as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the fastening means comprises a member having deformable jaws for engagement on a rib and a hook for engagement with the wall.

6. A temporary shelter substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.