GB2084943A

GB2084943A - Folding canvas caravans (trailer tents)

Info

Publication number: GB2084943A
Application number: GB8127009A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Boussac Saint Freres BSF SA
Current assignee: Boussac Saint Freres BSF SA
Priority date: 1980-09-05
Filing date: 1981-09-07
Publication date: 1982-04-21
Also published as: FR2489764A1; FR2489764B1; IT1167494B; GB2084943B; IT8123817A0

Abstract

The caravan comprises a trailer 2, two collapsible frame assemblies, a roof assembly 13, 15, and a canvas covering. Each frame assembly comprises a flat element 5A, 5B articulated to an upper longitudinal edge of the trailer and movable between a position over the trailer and a horizontal position beside the trailer. Each frame assembly further comprises a foldable hoop 7 pivoted to the edge of the trailer to extend vertically therefrom when erected and to lie under the flat element when folded. The roof assembly comprises articulated elements 13 which interconnect the upper portions of the hoops 7 and which lie between the frame assemblies when the caravan is folded. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to folding caravans The present invention relates to folding canvas caravans, of the type comprising a trailer to which is articulated a frame which can be unfolded and folded up and which is provided with a tent canvas. Unfolding and folding up are instantaneous. The final ground area of the caravan is provided by the justaposition of the unfolded surface to the initial area of the trailer. In the case of known devices, juxtaposition takes place laterally or as an extension to the trailer.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a folding canvas caravan, comprising a frame mounted on and articulated to a trailer body and covered with a tent canvas, the frame being substantially symmetrical and comprising two substantially identical assemblies of elements, each assembly being articulatedly mounted on a respective longitudinal edge of the trailer body and being articulated to elements forming a roof, each of the assemblies comprising a flat element having an area substantially equal to that of the trailer for forming a sleeping surface when unfolded outwardly to be horizontal and so as to extend from the top of the trailer body, the sleeping surfaces being maintained horizontal and being positionally secured by detachable or fodable support rests, each of the assemblies further comprising erectable hoops, at least one of which is arranged to be inclined to the sleeping surface, the innermost hoop being arranged to extend substantially vertically from the longitudinal edge of the trailer body when erected, the elements forming the roof being mutually articulated and articulated at the top of the innermost hoop of each of the assemblies thereby inter-connecting the two assemblies, whereby the caravan is foldable by folding a first of the assemblies of elements with its sleeping surface on top of the trailer, which causes folding of the roof, followed by folding the other assembly over the first assembly so that the articulated elements of the roof are thus sandwiched between the two folded assemblies of elements, the sleeping surface of the second assembly then constituting the cover of the trailer when folded on top thereof.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a folding caravan comprising a trailer, two collapsible frame assemblies, a roof assembly and a covering arranged to cover the frame assemblies when erected, each frame assembly comprising a flat element articulated to an edge of the trailer so as to be pivotable between a position over the trailer and a position beside the trailer, and a hoop foldable between a folded position between the trailer and the flat element and an erect position extending upwardly from the edge of the trailer, the roof assembly comprising a plurality of articulated elements articulated to and interconnecting upper portions of the hoops so as to be between the frame assemblies when the flat elements are folded over the trailer.

It is possible to provided a folding canvas caravan whose ground area, when unfolded, extends from both sides of the trailer surface, which enables the initial ground area of the trailer to be approximately tripled, instead of being doubled as before. This increase in area makes it more pleasant to stay in the caravan and increases the accommodation possibiiities.

It is also possible to provide a frame of the caravan with a new arrangement and a suitable method of connecting its elements enabling various rotary movements, and the elements may have predetermined lengths. Folding and unfolding operations are facilitated and are practically instantaneous, and the design of the frame may be such as to provide, after unfolding of the caravan, internal accommodation which is immediately ready for use.

A preferred frame structure may be used whatever the area and volume of the basic trailer, since the frame elements are adapted to the dimensions of the trailer and are not folded away inside the trailer, but rather on top of it.

Preferably, each of the assemblies of elements comprises, in addition to the sleeping surface constituting the external elements of the unit, two hoops, i.e. a hoop constituting the intermediate element and a hoop constituting the internal element of each unit, and the roof is formed from four identical elements and from a roof beam on which there are articulated at one of their ends the four roof elements which are articulated at their other ends on the top of the innermost hoop of each of the assemblies of elements.

The tent canvas may be rigid with the two sleeping surfaces and may cover the elements of the assemblies and the roof elements and is folded and unfolded simultaneously with these elements.

In a manner known per se, the trailer may have its four corners provided with support rests which may be retracted by sliding or folding back and which are positioned when the caravan is mounted.

The sleeping surfaces are preferably maintained horizontal and are positionally secured by support rests which may be folded back or detached, and which are advantageously telescopic. The hoops may have lateral telescopic arms enabling their height and the shape of the caravan to be modified at will, and reinforcement arms articulated about the roof and on rings sliding along the uprights of the inner hoops may be provided to ensure the stability and the locking of the unfolded caravan, wherein the rings may be locked in position on the said uprights.

The rear wall of the trailer body may be opened to facilitate access to the caravan, and the interior of this body is advantageously provided with seats disposed along its longitudinal and/or front sides.

In this way the unfolded caravan immediately has two sleeping surfaces and seats.

The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a caravan folded over a trailer; Figures 2 and 3 are rear elevations showing the carvan being unfolded; Figure 4 is a rear elevation of the unfolded caravan; and Figure 5 is a perspective view of the trailer body supporting the frame of the caravan.

The frame of a folding caravan is shown in Fig.

1 folded onto the body 1 of a trailer 2. The body 1 is provided at the top, at each end of one of its longitudinal edges with a vertically positioned lug 3A and at each end of its other longitudinal edge with a lug 3B which is shorter than the lug 3A and also vertically positioned. These lugs enable the mounting of the caravan frame.

The frame is symmetrical, as can be seen from Fig. 5, in which it is shown unfolded on the body 1. It comprises two units of elements connected by further elements forming the roof of the caravan. Each unit of elements comprises a plane surface, 5A or 5B, directly articulated at 4 on the lugs 3A or 3B by means of mountings 6A or 6B fixed at right angles to the plane surface and having a length approximately equal to that of the corresponding lugs, a main hoop 7 articulated at 8 on the mounting 6A or SB and an intermediate hoop 9 articulated at 10 on the main hoop 7.

Each intermediate hoop 9 is telescopic at 11.

Figure 2 shows an unfolded unit of elements. The upper sleeping surface 5A has been tilted through 1 80C to a horizontal position at the top of the body 1. By means of this first movement, the first unit of elements entrained by the canvas 12 which is rigid with the external edge of the sleeping surface 5A is erected. The same unfolding movement carried out with the second unit of elements, by tilting the second sleeping surface 5B through 1 SOC, brings the frame into the position shown in Fig. 3. The two main hoops 7 are in a substantially vertical position.They are connected by the roof which is constituted byfour elements 13 each articulated at one of their ends at 14 to the top of a main hoop 7 and, at their other ends, to a roof beam 15. An upwardly directed vertical thrust on this beam is the final step in the mounting of the caravan which then has the shape shown in Fig. 4, the frame being in the position shown in Fig. 5.During the abovedescribed movements, two reinforcement arms 16, articulated between two elements 13 of the roof and the two vertical uprights of a hoop 7, ensure that the central portion of the frame is rigid as a result of the fact that they are articulated on the vertical uprights opposite the hoop 7 by means of rings 17 which may slide along the uprights 7 and may be locked on these uprights in the final mounting position of the caravan, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, by two locking fingers 1 8 each of which cooperates with an aperture provided in the corresponding vertical upright (not shown) of the hoop 7, any known locking means being suitabie for this purpose.

It can be seen that the main connections between the various elements of the frame enable these elements to be rotated in a plurality of ways.

Furthermore, as the lateral arms of the intermediate hoops 9 are telescopic, it is possible to modify the shape of the caravan in accordance with the height to which these are adjusted. The position of these intermediate hoops is defined by the length of the canvas 12 which is only rigid with the sleeping surfaces 5A and 5B and which is fixed to the ground by pegs 1 9.

In a known manner, before unfolding the caravan, the body of the trailer is supported on support rests 20 which may be retracted by sliding or folding up. Further support rests 21, which are detachable or foldable, are located under the external longitudinal edge of the sleeping surfaces 5A and 5B in order to maintain these in a horizontal position. If they are detachable, they may be engaged in corresponding housings provided on the lower surface of the unfolded surfaces. These rests are advantageously telescopic.

The rear wall 22 of the body of the trailer may preferably be opened in order to facilitate access to the caravan. For this it may be mounted on hinges and kept closed by any locking means, such as a latch 23. This wall is shown open in Fig. 5. As the folded frame rests on the top of the trailer body, the interior of the body is free and may be provided with seats or benches 24 of a permanent type. After the unfolding operation, the interior of the caravan is therefore instantaneously ready for use, without any further operations.

The structure of the frame is both simple and advantageous and it may be readily handled.

Folding up of the caravan is as simple as unfolding, as it is simply necessary, after the two locking fingers 1 8 have been withdrawn, to lower the roof beam 15, to pivot the sleeping surface 5B towards the interior and then to pivot the sleeping surface 5A in the same way which then covers the first surface and the elements associated with the sleeping surfaces and the roof elements, as a result of the fact that it is articulated on lugs 3A which are higher than the lugs 3B on which the surface 5B is articulated. The caravan is therefore in the driving position (Fig. 1). The surface 5A may then constitute the rigid cover of the trailer. It is also possible to provide a protective tarpaulin extending over the upper portion of the trailer body.

Modifications of details using technical equivalents may be made to the device described above without departing in this respect from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A folding canvas caravan, comprising a frame mounted on and articulated to a trailer body and covered with a tent canvas, the frame being substantially symmetrical and comprising two substantially identical assemblies of elements, each assembly being articulatedly mounted on a respective longitudinal edge of the trailer body and being articulated to elements forming a roof, each of the assemblies comprising a flat element having an area substantially equal to that of the trailer for forming a sleeping surface when unfolded outwardly to be horizontal and so as to extend from the top of the trailer body, the sleeping surfaces being maintained horizontal and being positionally secured by detachable or foldable support rests, each of the assemblies further comprising erectable hoops, at least one of which is arranged to be inclined to the sleeping surface, the innermost hoop being arranged to extend substantially vertically from the longitudinal edge of the trailer body when erected, the elements forming the roof being mutually articulated and articulated at the top of the innermost hoop of each of the assemblies thereby interconnecting the two assemblies, whereby the caravan is foldable by folding a first of the assemblies of elements with its sleeping surface on top of the trailer, which causes folding of the roof, followed by folding the other assembly over the first assembly so that the articulated elements of the roof are thus sandwiched between the two folded assemblies of elements, the sleeping surface of the second assembly then constituting the cover of the trailer when folded on top thereof.

2. A folding caravan as claimed in claim 1, in which the roof comprises from four identical elements and a roof beam to which the four roof elements are articulated at first ends thereof, the elements being articulated at their other ends to the top of the innermost hoops of the assemblies of elements.

3. A folding caravan as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the tent canvas is fixed to the two sleeping surfaces, extends over the elements of the assemblies and the roof elements, and is arranged to fold and unfold simultaneously therewith.

4. A folding caravan as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the frame further comprises reinforcement arms articulated to the roof and on rings which are slidable along the uprights of the internal hoops and which are lockable in position on the uprights.

5. A folding caravan as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the interior of the trailer body is provided with seats disposed along one or more of its longitudinal and end edges.

6. A folding caravan comprising a trailer, two collapsible frame assemblies, a roof assembly, and a covering arranged to cover the frame assemblies when erected, each frame assembly comprising a flat element articulated to an edge of the trailer so as to be pivotable between a position over the trailer and a position beside the trailer, and a hoop foldable between a folded position between the trailer and the flat element and an erect position extending upwardly from the edge of the trailer, the roof assembly comprising a plurality of articulated elements articulated to and interconnecting upper portions of the hoops so as to be between the frame assemblies when the flat elements are folded over the trailer.

7. A folding caravan substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.