GB2134942A - Portable shelter - Google Patents

Abstract

The shelter comprises a collapsible frame which in its erected condition serves to support flexible sheet water resistant material which defines a top cover and three sides, a pair of wheels (42) which are secured to a rear portion (44) of the frame, and leg means (24) secured to a front portion (8) of the frame, the wheels (42) enabling the portable shelter in its collapsed condition to be used as a trolley for transporting equipment e.g. fishing tackle. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A portable shelter This invention relates to portable shelters and more especially but not exclusively, it relates to portable shelters which are suitable for the use of anglers and which enable angling equipment easily to be transported to the point of fishing.

Portable shelters suitable for the use of anglers or for other outdoor activities are known but known shelters tend to be awkward to assemble and difficult to carry about. Also, these known shelters do not enable angling equipment to be transported to the point of fishing.

The present invention seeks to provide a portable shelter which is both easy to erect and readily portable, and which enables desired equipment easily to be transported.

According to the present invention a portable shelter comprises a collapsible frame which in its erected condition serves to support flexible sheet water resistant material which defines a top cover and three sides, a pair of wheels which are secured to a rear portion of the frame, and leg means secured to a front portion of the frame, the wheels enabling the portable shelter in its collapsed condition to be used as a trolley for transporting equipment.

The shelter may include a seat which is supported by the frame. The seat can be used for carrying any desired equipment such for example as fishing tackle. Thus, the often heavy and/or bulky fishing tackle can easily be transported to the point of fishing, for example from a car parked some distance away.

The leg means may be telescopically mounted in the frame whereby the effective leg length is adjustable.

The wheels may be removably secured to the frame so that easy removal of the wheels from the frame is facilitated.

The seat may comprise flexible sheet material secured to the frame by springs at a plurality of anchor locations. In this case, the equipment to be carried may rest on the seat.

Alternatively, the seat may comprise a box structure, suitable for storing the equipment.

The frame may comprise tubular metal parts.

The tubular metal parts may include a pair of back tubes braced by at least two transverse tubes, the upper of which transverse tubes serves as a handle for moving the shelter.

The frame may comprise on each side thereof at least one side frame member pivotally secured at one end to the back tubes and at the other end to a pair of leg receiving posts in which the leg means are telescopically mounted, the posts being releasably locked in position by two locking stays provided one on each side of the frame.

The top cover may be supported by an upper frame part which is telescopically mounted in the back tubes whereby the height of the shelter can be adjusted.

The upper frame part may comprise a pair of upright tubes which are telescopically mounted in the back tubes, and a top frame member which is pivotally secured to the upright tubes and locked by means of stays so that the upper frame part can be folded down.

The transverse tube which serves as a handle may be used to brace the upright tubes of the upper frame part.

The sheet material of the shelter may be detachable.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a portable shelter; Figure 2 is a side view of the shelter shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view of an alternative portable shelter in a collapsed condition for use as a trolley; Figure 4 is a side view of the shelter shown in Figure 3 erected for shelter use; Figure 5 is an end view of the shelter shown in Figure 3 in a collapsed condition; and Figure 6 is a perspective view of the shelter as shown in Figure 4.

Referring now to Figure 1 and Figure 2, a portable shelter comprises a metal frame 2 which is made of tubular metal such as steel or aluminium for lightness. The frame 2 comprises a pair of back tubes 4 and 6 and a pair of leg receiving posts 8 and 10. The back tube 4 and the leg receiving post 8 are arranged to be linked by a side member 11 the back tube 6 and the leg receiving post 10 being linked on the other side by a similar side member 13. The back tubes 4 and 6 and the leg receiving posts 8 and 10 are also coupled by side frame members 12 which are coupled by a cross member 14.

The side frame members 12 are arranged to receive a seat supporting tube 1 6 to which flexible sheet material defining a seat 1 8 is attached, the flexible sheet material of the seat 1 8 being held under tension by means of springs 20 which are secured to anchor points 22 on the frame 2.

A leg assembly 24 comprising side tubes 26 is arranged to be telescopically mounted in the leg receiving posts 8 and 10, the side tubes 26 being lockable within the posts 8 and 10 by means of pins 28.

In order to facilitate support and adjustment of the sheet material which covers the frame 2 and which defines sides and a top cover, an upper frame part 30 is provided comprising a pair of upright tubes 32 which are telescopically mounted in the back tubes 4 and 6 and which may be locked in position by means of pins which define the upper anchor points 22 in the back tubes 4 and 6. Top frame members 34, which support the top cover, are secured to the upright tubes 32, the top frame members 34 being positionally lockable by means of a locking stay 36. The upright tubes 32 are arranged to be braced by means of a transverse tube 38 which can serve in use as a handle.

The leg receiving posts 8 and 10 are locked into position by means of stays 40 and arranged to be pivotted about a spindle 41. Thus the upper frame part 30 and the leg receiving posts 8 and 10 are arranged to be foldable consequent upon release of the locking stays 36 and 40 respectively whereby the shelter may be collapsed for the transportation of equipment, for example fishing equipment. In order to facilitate the transportation, a pair of wheels 42 are provided mounted on wheel fixing post 44 which are secured to the foot of the back tubes 4 and 6.

Thus the collapsed shelter can be used as a trolley.

Since the leg assembly 24 is arranged to be telescopically adjustable, erection of the shelter on a sloping bank is facilitated. Erection of the shelter on a steep bank is further facilitated since the wheel fixing posts 44 may be completely removed by pulling out sprung catches 45.

The seat 18 has a number of advantages and one advantage is that equipment can be stored and carried on the seat 1 8 when the shelter is in its collapsed condition and is being used as a trolley. Another advantage is that the front seat tube 1 6 may be lifted up and then pushed rearwardly, when the shelter is in its erected condition, whereby the frame may be used to accommodate a fishing box or some alternative kind of seat.

The seat may be made of canvas or any other appropriate material. The material used to cover the frame 2 may be transparent or it may include transparent windows. If desired, the material used to cover the frame 2 may be camouflaged.

An alternative embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6.

Referring to Figure 3, a shelter comprises a frame 50 made of square section tube which is made of a metal such as steel or aluminium. The frame 50 comprises two members 52 and 54 which can be dismantled and which can be deployed to produce an erected frame 50 as shown in Figure 4. The frame 50 is used to support a seat 56 which can be constructed in the form of a storage box suitable for fishing equipment. The frame 50 is provided with a front leg assembly 58 which can be arranged to be dismantled, and a pair of rear wheels 60 which facilitate transportation of equipment when the shelter is in a collapsed condition and is being used as a trolley. Usually, the various parts of the frame 50 will fit together by slotting into each other.

The wheels 60 may be removable and/or arranged to turn through 90 so that the shelter can easily hold steady on a sloping bank.

As shown in Figure 6, the frame is used to support a flexible cover 62 of waterproof sheet material. If the sheet material cannot be seen through, it may include windows. If desired, the sheet material may be a transparent material.

Although the shelters just before described are particularly suitable for use as fishing shelters, it will be appreciated that they may find application in association with any outdoor pursuit such as shooting, use by a car park attendant, motor cycle scrambling, or any other sport or activity. Shelters according to the present invention have the advantage that they are easy to erect and may, by reason of the wheels provided, be easily transported to a site for use and may simultaneously be used for transporting equipment.

It is to be appreciated that the shelters described with reference to the drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the shelters may be made from a plastics material instead of a metal.

Claims (12)

Claims

1. A portable shelter comprising a collapsible frame which in its erected condition serves to support flexible sheet water resistant material which defines a top cover and three sides, a pair of wheels which are secured to a rear portion of the frame, and leg means secured to a front portion of the frame, the wheels enabling the portable shelter in its collapsed condition to be used as a trolley for transporting equipment.

2. A portable shelter as claimed in claim 1 wherein the shelter includes a seat which is supported bathe frame.

3. A portable shelter as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the leg means are telescopically mounted in the frame whereby the effective leg length is adjustable.

4. A portable shelter as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the wheels are removably secured to the frame so that easy removal of the wheels from the frame is facilitated.

5. A portable shelter as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the seat comprises flexible sheet material secured to the frames by springs at a plurality of anchor locations.

6. A portable shelter as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the seat comprises a box structure suitable for storage purposes.

7. A portable shelter as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the frame comprises tubular metal parts.

8. A portable shelter as claimed in claim 7 wherein the tubular metal parts include a pair of back tubes braced by at least two transverse tubes, the upper of which transverse tubes serves as a handle for moving the shelter.

9. A portable shelter as claimed in claim 8 wherein the frame comprises on each side thereof at least one side frame member pivotally secured at one end to the back tubes at the other end to a pair of leg receiving posts in which the leg means are telescopically mounted, the posts being releasably secured in position by locking stays provided one on each side of the frame.

10. A portable shelter as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the top cover is supported by an upper frame part which is telescopically mounted in the back tubes whereby the height of the shelter can be adjusted.

11. A portable shelter as claimed in claim 10 wherein the upper frame part comprises a pair of upright tubes which are telescopically mounted in the back tubes, and a top frame part which is pivotally secured to the upright tubes and locked by means of stays so that the upper frame part can be folded down.

12. A portable shelter as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 11 wherein the transverse tube which serves as a handle is used to brace the upright tubes of the upper frame part.

1 3. A portable shelter as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the sheet material of the cover is detachable.

1 4. A portable shelter substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.