GB2120297A

GB2120297A - Collapsible frames for tents or other enclosures

Info

Publication number: GB2120297A
Application number: GB08212450A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew John Lack
Original assignee: Glasdon Ltd
Current assignee: Glasdon Ltd
Priority date: 1982-04-29
Filing date: 1982-04-29
Publication date: 1983-11-30
Also published as: GB2120297B

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a collapsible frame for a ridge type tent or other enclosure comprising a ridge member 10 which forms a hinge for pairs of arms 11, 14 extending laterally from the respective ends of the ridge member and to which side members 12 are connected. At the ends of the side members sockets 23 are mounted each socket comprising a pair of quadrant shaped parallel side walls between which a leg 24 is pivotally mounted, locking means being provided for locking the legs in the upright positions in the sockets and, on release, permitting the legs to fold into stowed positions along the side members 12. The frame construction provides a simple assembly which can be collapsed without dismantling into individual component parts. The frame is particularly suitable for supporting enclosures for covering man-holes, road excavations and the like. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Collapsible frames for tents or other enclosures The invention relates to collapsible frames for tents or other enclosures.

The invention provides a collapsible frame for a tent or other enclosure comprising a roof support frame having parallel side members each of which has sockets at each end thereof and leg members pivotally mounted in the sockets to support the legs for pivotal movement between upright positions with respect to the roof supporting frame and stowed positions in which they lie along the side members, each socket having a pair of spaced side walls extending generally parallel to the respective side member on which the socket is mounted to receive an end of a leg and a pivot pin extending through the side walls and leg to form the pivotal connection between the leg and socket and locking means to lock the leg in the upright and stowed positions with respect to the socket.

The following is a description of a specific embodiment of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a frame for a tent or other enclosure; Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the frame; Figure 3 is an end elevation view of the frame; Figure 4 is a detailed view of a hinge in the ridge of the frame; Figure 5 is a detailed view of a corner joint between the side member and leg of the frame; and Figure 6 is a perspective view of the tent cover as erected on the frame.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, there is shown a frame for a tent or other enclosure comprising a central tubuiar ridge member 10 having laterally projecting arms 11 extending transversely thereto adjacent the ends of the member 10 and secured rigidly at their ends to a side member 12 extending parallel to the ridge member 10. The ends of the tubular ridge member 10 have pivotal hubs 13 mounted thereon (as described below) and further arms 14 similar to arms 11 are rigidly attached to and extend laterally from the hubs 1 3 on the opposite side of the ridge 10 to the arms 11. A further side member 1 5 is rigidly attached to the ends of the arms and extend parallel to the ridge 10 in a similar manner to side member 12.

The pivotal connection between each hub 1 3 and the ridge tube 10 will now be described with reference to Figure 4. At each end of the tube there is a bush 1 6 held in the end of the tube by a countersunk machine screw 1 7 fixed with "LOCTITE". The adjacent hub 13 contains a similar bush 18 secured in the hub by means of a counter-sunk machine screw 1 9 fixed with "LOCTITE". The bushes are interconnected by a stainless steel bolt 20 with a fibre washer 21 disposed between the bushes whereby the hub 1 3 is mounted for rotation on the tube 10.Bolt 20 has a small protrusion formed on its shank just below the bolt head which provides a means whereby the bolt, having been driven or pressed through the bush 16, is held captive and prevented from rotating as its retaining nut is tightened. Between the retaining nut and bush 1 8 is fitted a spring washer of a type to exert an axial force whilst the nut itself is of the "NYLOC" selflocking type. Thus the nut can be tightened sufficiently to create the necessary degree of friction between bushes 1 6 and 1 8 and washer 21 for the joint, whilst remaining pivotable, to be stiff enough to remain set in any chosen attitude and yet remain adjustable by hand using the leverage offered by members 11 and 14. The open end of the hub 13 is closed by an end plug 22.

The ridge tube 10, arms 11, 14 and side members 12, 1 5 thus form a roof frame for the tent the apex angle of which can be varied to provide the span required for the enclosure. The roof frame can also be folded about the ridge axis to collapse the side members together when it is not required for use.

Referring again to Figure 2 of the drawings, at the joint between each arm 11, 14 and side member 12, 15 there is a socket 23 in which an upper end of a leg 24 is pivotally mounted. The detailed construction of the socket/pivotal mounting of the leg will now be described with reference to Figure 5.

Each socket 23 comprises a spaced pair of quadrant shaped plates 25 attached by welding to either side of a side member and having an end wall 26 bridging the plates extending transverse to the side member. A pivot pin 23a extends through the plates and the upper end of the leg 24 between the plates to support the leg 24 for pivotal movement between an upright position in which the leg lies against the end wall 26 and a stowed position in which the leg lies generally parallel to the side member 12, 1 5. The leg 24 is locked in the upright or stowed positions by means of a sprung projection 27 on the leg between the plates having a release button 28 on the leg immediately outside the socket.The projection 27 is engageable in an aperture 29 in one of the plates 25 adjacent the end wall 26 to lock the leg in the upright position or in a similar aperture 30 in the plate adjacent the side member to lock the leg in the stowed position.

To erect the frame, the legs are swung from the stowed positions by releasing the projections 27 into the upright positions where they are locked in place against the end walls 26. The span of the frame is then adjusted by varying the spacing of the legs attached to the side members 12 and 1 5 and thus the apex angle of the ridge of the frame to suit the site on which the frame is to be erected.

For example, the frame may be for a tent or working enclosure to extend over a hole or other excavation in the ground where work is to be carried out in which case the spacing of the legs is adjusted to span the hole.

Figure 6 of the drawings shows the cover 31 which is fitted over the frame. On the inside of the cover there are sleeves 32 to fit over the frame members and hold the cover in position and externally the cover has tabs 33 at spaced positions around the cover to which guys may be attached for holding the cover down. The ends of the cover may be formed in two overlapping parts 34, 35 to accommodate for the varying span of the frame and the outer parts may have a "Velcro" strip 36 extending down its edge to engage with laterally extending "Velcro" strips 37 on the front face of the other end wall 34 to secure the cover whatever the extent of overlap between the two walls.

The arrangement provides a convenient tent or enclosure for use on road work sites but can, equally, be used for other applications where an enclosure is required. The members of the frame are conveniently formed in lightweight aluminium extrusion. When the tent is not required for use the cover can be removed and the frame collapsed by folding the legs into the stowed position along the side members of the frame and folding the side members together about the ridge axis to form a conveniently compact frame which does not required any dismantling.

Claims

1. A collapsible frame for a tent or other enclosure comprising a roof support frame having parallel side members each of which has sockets at each end thereof and leg members pivotally mounted in the sockets to support the legs for pivotal movement between upright positions with respect to the roof supporting frame and stowed positions in which they lie along the side members, each socket having a pair of spaced side walls extending generally parallel to the respective side member on which the socket is mounted to receive an end of a leg and a pivot pin extending through the side walls and leg to form the pivotal connection between the leg and socket and locking means to lock the leg in the upright and stowed positions with respect to the socket.

2. A frame as claimed in claim 1 wherein each socket has an end wall extending between the side walls thereof and transverse to the side member on which the socket is mounted to assist in supporting the leg in the upright position.

3. A frame as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the means to lock each leg in its respective socket in the upright and stowed positions comprise a sprung projection on each leg at the end of the leg within the socket, a release button for the projection, part of the leg disposed outside of the socket and apertures in one side wall of the socket at positions corresponding to the stowed and upright positions of the leg to receive the projection on the leg and thereby hold the leg in the respective stowed and upright positions.

4. A frame as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the roof frame further comprises a pair of arms rigidly attached to each side member at the ends thereof, said arms being hinged together about a common axis to permit the side members of the roof to be folded towards and away from each other.

5. A frame as claimed in claim 4 wherein a ridge member is provided on which the pair of arms of one side member are hinged with respect to the pair of arms of the other side member.

6. A frame as claimed in any of the preceding claims in combination with a cover for extending over the frame formed from flexible material having means to attach the cover to the frame to form an enclosure or tent.

7. A tent or enclosure substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

7. A frame as claimed in claim 6 wherein the enclosure has end walls formed with a slit to permit overlapping of the end walls to cater for different opening of the side members/legs of the frame.

8. A frame for a tent or other enclosure substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

9. A tent or enclosure substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

New claims or amendments to claims filed on 7.7.83.

Superseded claims 1-9.

New or amended claims:- 1-7.

1. A collapsible frame for a tent or other enclosure comprising a roof support frame having a ridge member and side members extending parallel to the ridge member, each side member being connected to the ridge member by a pair of spaced arms, the ridge member providing a hinge having an axis extending lengthwise of the ridge member between the arms of the respective side members to enable the side members to be folded about the ridge members towards and away from each other, and each of which side members has sockets at each end thereof having a pair of spaced side walls extending generally parallel to the respective side member on which the socket is mounted and leg members pivotally mounted between the side walls of the respective sockets to permit the leg members to be hinged between the positions in which they extend transverse to the side members for supporting the frame in an upright condition and stowed positions in which they lie alongside the side members and locking means to lock the legs in their respective sockets in said transverse and stowed positions.

3. A frame as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the means to lock each leg in its respective socket in the upright and stowed positions comprise a sprung projection on each leg at the end of the leg within the socket, a release button for the projection, part of the leg disposed outside of the socket and apertures in one side wall of the socket at positions corresponding to the stowed and upright positions of the leg to receive the projection on the leg and thereby to hold the leg in the respective stowed and upright positions.

4. A frame as claimed in any of the preceding claims in combination with a cover for extending over the frame formed from flexible material having means to attach the cover to the frame to form an enclosure or tent.

5. A frame as claimed in claim 4 wherein the enclosure has end walls formed with a slit to permit overlapping of the end walls to cater for different opening of the side members/legs of the frame.

6. A frame for a tent or other enclosure substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.